Watch: Step-by-step guide to making authentic Vietnamese Pho Bo Chin or beef brisket Pho


Watch: Step-by-step guide to making authentic Vietnamese Pho Bo Chin or beef brisket Pho

Dubai-based Vietnamese chef teaches you how to make a bowl of the broth-based soup dish



Guide to making Beef Pho Video Credit: Anas Thacharpadikkal/Gulf News photographer

Pho has become the go-to dish for many Asian food lovers because of its base of warm broth and plethora of topping options - from beef, chicken, seafood and even tofu. It also satisfies those looking to get their share of vegetables for the day and those who are counting their calories as it uses minimum oil.

While there has been a debate about whether the dish was a result of French influence on Vietnamese cuisine or locals were making similar noodle and soup based delicacies long before the French arrived, the dish has currently developed a Asian identity.

Lily Hoa Nguyen, who is head chef and co-founder of Vietnamese Foodies, a restaurant specialising in Vietnamese cuisine in Dubai, is a believer in sticking to tradition.

She serves the dish at her outlets in Dubai and has made sure UAE residents get an authentic experience.

"We made it a point to ensure that our dishes remained true to original as possible and as a result, people who dine with us are getting a true authentic taste of Vietnam," Nguyen said.

Nguyen shared her authentic recipe with Gulfnews.com for home cooks looking to make a warm bowl of pho for their families.

Beef brisket Pho
Beef brisket Pho Image Credit: GN/Anas Thacharpadikkal

Ingredients

For bone broth:

1kg beef bones

1 large brown onion

20gm of fresh ginger

3 star anise

2 black cardamoms

2 sticks of cinnamon

1 tsp salt

3 litres of drinking water

Method

1. Peel and wash the onion. Chop them roughly into big chunks.

2. Charbroil the onion and ginger. Peel off the ginger's burnt skin and crush it lightly.

Charbroil the ginger
Charbroil the onion and ginger. Peel off the ginger's burnt skin and crush it lightly.

3. Roast the star anise, cardamom and cinnamon.

Roast the star anise and cardamom
Roast the star anise, cardamom and cinnamon.

4. Roast the beef bones in the oven for 1 hour at 200C.

Roast the beef bones in the oven for 1 hour at 200 degree Celsius.
Roast the beef bones in the oven for 1 hour at 200 degree Celsius. Image Credit: GN/ Anas Thacharpadikkal

5. In a medium pot add the roasted beef bones, water, onion, ginger, star anise, and cardamom, bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low.

6. Add salt then simmer for 6 hours. Let cool and strain before use.

How the strained broth should look
How the strained broth should look Image Credit: GN/ Anas Thacharpadikkal

[VIDEO]

Ingredients

For the noodles and garnish:

1kg boneless beef shank

3litres of beef broth

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp fish sauce

0.5kg dry rice noodle (rice sticks)

2 tbsp green onions chopped

200gm bean sprouts for garnishing

Handful of Thai basil

Handful of sawtooth coriander

Method

1. Add the beef shank in the beef broth for 1 hour on medium heat until just cooked but not too soft. Remove the meat and slice it into 3mm thin slices.

This how the cooked, sliced beef slices should look
This how the cooked, sliced beef slices should look Image Credit: GN/ Anas Thacharpadikkal

2. Roast the cinnamon and coriander seeds on a cooking pan on high heat for 2 minutes, to bring out the flavour. Put them in a tea bag and place it in the bowl of broth. Note: You should do this step just 30 minutes before serving.

3. Season the broth with black pepper, salt and fish sauce.

4. Blanch the rice noodles or cook them as instructed on the package.

Blanched rice noodles
Blanched rice noodles Image Credit: GN/ Anas Thacharpadikkal

5. Once ready to serve, warm up the noodles by blanching them again quickly.

6. Place the meat slices on top and then pour boiling broth over it.

Pour the hot broth over the beef and noodles
Pour the hot broth over the beef and noodles Image Credit: GN/ Anas Thacharpadikkal

7. Garnish with chopped green onions, bean sprouts and serve piping hot with Thai basil on the side.

Garnish with chopped green onions, bean sprouts and serve piping hot with Thai basil on the side.
Garnish with chopped green onions, bean sprouts and serve piping hot with Thai basil on the side. Image Credit: GN/ Anas Thacharpadikkal

Tell us about your favourite dishes and recipes at food@gulfnews.com

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