Mom's Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)
So, when people think of Vietnamese food, they think of PHO. This is the quintessential Vietnamese dish - I have it several times a week (not by choice!). My dad and my boyfriend are both pho lovers ... seriously, I think my boyfriend loves pho more than any Vietnamese person I know and he's not even Vietnamese. I personally think pho is just so-so. However, I always crave pho on a rainy, gloomy, or cold day. It's perfect for when you're sick too because its flagrant aroma really wakes up your senses!
Yes, this is my momma's pho recipe! WOOT! :D
Warning: This recipe takes around six hours to make. I want to perfect this recipe... and to tell you the truth, my mother's pho recipe isn't that great. I've read some pho blogs and some recipes call for an 8 hr simmer instead of 6 hr simmer. One day, when I'm a lady of leisure and my only worries include shopping and cooking (trophy wife ;) I want to experiment with this recipe and improve it. Until then, this will do.
Anyway, the longer the simmer, the more flavorful the broth. Try use a mixture of beef bones, like oxtail and chuck bones.
******03/10/12: Modifications: I tried making this recipe today! OMG, it was SO TIRING! THIS BETTER BE WORTH IT. Anyway, read the recipe for its edits!
Ingredients:
4 lbs of chicken bones (*I used 2.5 lbs b/c that was all I had on me when I tried to make it)
10 lbs of beef bones (*edit: I used 11.5 lbs of beef bones/beef)
3 yellow onion
3 large gingers (side note: does anyone else think that ginger looks like mutated alien fingers?)
1 pho seasoning bag (bag filled with cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, etc.)
yellow rock candy
lots salt
Vietnamese cinnamon stick (*not to be confused with American cinnamon; Vietnamese cinnamon stick has an extra spicy kick to it)
star anise
MSG (bot ngot; *I know, I didn't want to add this either but mom made me...)
1. PREPARE to lose yourself for the day. READ THE EDITS. Simmer 4 lbs of chicken bones and 10 lbs of beef bones in large pot on low.
*EDIT: So, I parboiled the beef bones to release all the impurities to get a nice, clean broth. I boiled up water, added the beef bones, chicken bones, and let cook for a few minutes. Then, dumped all the water out and rinsed everything 2 times. This cleans out the beef bones and gives you a cleaner tasting broth. This step is a PAIN IN THE ASS b/c boiling water takes FOREVA! I mean, seriously, longer than most celebrity relationships....
Once parboiled, I boiled new water (use drinking water if you can) and added the bones in. I filled the pot to the brim with boiling water.
2. Add one ladle of salt, 2 PS of bot nem ga (chicken broth), and 1/4 box of rock sugar; this is about a small fistful.
*EDIT: against my will, mom made me add 2 teaspoons MSG. I'm not a big fan of MSG, but mom puts a little of it into everything.
3. Toast 3 yellow onions (1.5 turn) and 3 large gingers (2 full turns) in a toaster oven until charred. You can leave the outside of the onions on - you want to char it a little. Wash the onion and ginger. Shave the ginger then smash it with a giant flat knife or a mortar. Dispose of the onion coverings. Wash both the onion and ginger.
*EDIT: Instead of doing this, I wrapped the onions and ginger in aluminum foil and placed it directly onto the cooking grate of my gas stove. This gives it a nice char. This will take about 15 minutes, flip occasionally, and cut out all the charred parts.
4. Add ginger and onion to the broth. This is all done in the beginning! The longer it sits, the better....
Continue to simmer for another THREE (3) hours.... Like I said, prepare to become a slave to this steaming, hot pot of pho for the day.
5. Toast 1 bag of pho seasoning (1/4 turn) in the toaster oven.
*EDIT: do this 3 hours before eating! I added an extra Vietnamese cinnamon stick and 5-6 star anises for extra flavor.
6. Wash and add the pho seasoning bag 3 hours before eating. Retaste occasionally. Add more salt or rock sugar if needed. After making the pho, mommy said she didn't add enough rock sugar. So always taste your product as you go along!
7. Reseason with salt and rock sugar. Skim the top occasionally and scoop out the nasty opaque stuff and excess oil.
8. Then you're done!! Garnish with meat, white onions, green onions, bean sprouts, basil... whatever you want :)
Here's the delicious pho bowl!!!
How to cook the noodles: You want to blanch the noodles, meaning heat up water until boiling then dip in the noodles for a few seconds until soft.
Meat Toppings: @ Home, we use filet mignon meat. Thinly sliced pieces of raw meat will quickly cook once your pour the hot pho broth over it. We also use thit chin which is cooked meat that was taken out and run under cold water to stop the browning process.
How to prep the bowl: After blanching the noodles, place the noodles into the bowl. Add meat and thinly sliced onions, then finally add the broth. Garnish with basil, bean sprouts, or whatever and add siracha or plum sauce to your liking. Mom had a really cool method for thinly slicing the onions. Cut then in half, then with a shaver, shave thin slices of white onion.
**Note: take the meat out after 1 hr of simmering for thit chin to eat with your broth. take the chicken out when it looks done for chicken meat (after about 1 hr).
** Tip: If you don't finish your broth... and you probably won't b/c pho is usually made in a huge pot, then you can always freeze the broth.
Yes, this is my momma's pho recipe! WOOT! :D
Warning: This recipe takes around six hours to make. I want to perfect this recipe... and to tell you the truth, my mother's pho recipe isn't that great. I've read some pho blogs and some recipes call for an 8 hr simmer instead of 6 hr simmer. One day, when I'm a lady of leisure and my only worries include shopping and cooking (trophy wife ;) I want to experiment with this recipe and improve it. Until then, this will do.
Anyway, the longer the simmer, the more flavorful the broth. Try use a mixture of beef bones, like oxtail and chuck bones.
******03/10/12: Modifications: I tried making this recipe today! OMG, it was SO TIRING! THIS BETTER BE WORTH IT. Anyway, read the recipe for its edits!
Ingredients:
4 lbs of chicken bones (*I used 2.5 lbs b/c that was all I had on me when I tried to make it)
10 lbs of beef bones (*edit: I used 11.5 lbs of beef bones/beef)
3 yellow onion
3 large gingers (side note: does anyone else think that ginger looks like mutated alien fingers?)
1 pho seasoning bag (bag filled with cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, etc.)
yellow rock candy
lots salt
Vietnamese cinnamon stick (*not to be confused with American cinnamon; Vietnamese cinnamon stick has an extra spicy kick to it)
star anise
MSG (bot ngot; *I know, I didn't want to add this either but mom made me...)
1. PREPARE to lose yourself for the day. READ THE EDITS. Simmer 4 lbs of chicken bones and 10 lbs of beef bones in large pot on low.
*EDIT: So, I parboiled the beef bones to release all the impurities to get a nice, clean broth. I boiled up water, added the beef bones, chicken bones, and let cook for a few minutes. Then, dumped all the water out and rinsed everything 2 times. This cleans out the beef bones and gives you a cleaner tasting broth. This step is a PAIN IN THE ASS b/c boiling water takes FOREVA! I mean, seriously, longer than most celebrity relationships....
Once parboiled, I boiled new water (use drinking water if you can) and added the bones in. I filled the pot to the brim with boiling water.
2. Add one ladle of salt, 2 PS of bot nem ga (chicken broth), and 1/4 box of rock sugar; this is about a small fistful.
*EDIT: against my will, mom made me add 2 teaspoons MSG. I'm not a big fan of MSG, but mom puts a little of it into everything.
3. Toast 3 yellow onions (1.5 turn) and 3 large gingers (2 full turns) in a toaster oven until charred. You can leave the outside of the onions on - you want to char it a little. Wash the onion and ginger. Shave the ginger then smash it with a giant flat knife or a mortar. Dispose of the onion coverings. Wash both the onion and ginger.
*EDIT: Instead of doing this, I wrapped the onions and ginger in aluminum foil and placed it directly onto the cooking grate of my gas stove. This gives it a nice char. This will take about 15 minutes, flip occasionally, and cut out all the charred parts.
4. Add ginger and onion to the broth. This is all done in the beginning! The longer it sits, the better....
Continue to simmer for another THREE (3) hours.... Like I said, prepare to become a slave to this steaming, hot pot of pho for the day.
5. Toast 1 bag of pho seasoning (1/4 turn) in the toaster oven.
*EDIT: do this 3 hours before eating! I added an extra Vietnamese cinnamon stick and 5-6 star anises for extra flavor.
6. Wash and add the pho seasoning bag 3 hours before eating. Retaste occasionally. Add more salt or rock sugar if needed. After making the pho, mommy said she didn't add enough rock sugar. So always taste your product as you go along!
7. Reseason with salt and rock sugar. Skim the top occasionally and scoop out the nasty opaque stuff and excess oil.
8. Then you're done!! Garnish with meat, white onions, green onions, bean sprouts, basil... whatever you want :)
Here's the delicious pho bowl!!!
How to cook the noodles: You want to blanch the noodles, meaning heat up water until boiling then dip in the noodles for a few seconds until soft.
Meat Toppings: @ Home, we use filet mignon meat. Thinly sliced pieces of raw meat will quickly cook once your pour the hot pho broth over it. We also use thit chin which is cooked meat that was taken out and run under cold water to stop the browning process.
**Note: take the meat out after 1 hr of simmering for thit chin to eat with your broth. take the chicken out when it looks done for chicken meat (after about 1 hr).
** Tip: If you don't finish your broth... and you probably won't b/c pho is usually made in a huge pot, then you can always freeze the broth.
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