Pho

[Curt Goodrich]

I'm currently making some using the recipe from Charles Phan's cookbook-
Vietnamese Home Cooking by Charles Phan | 9781607740537 | Hardcover | Barnes & Noble

The house smells amazing. Pictures not likely. Anybody else make their own? Care to share grandma's secret recipe?

[j44ke]

I haven't made Pho, but I will try this now that I have a book to get. I've just started making kombu dashi (broth made from kombu/kelp and bonito flakes) for soba noodles, because it is supposed to be a good substitute for chicken stock, which I try not to eat.

We have a pho place in NYC called Nha Trang Center where the owner comes around sometimes and asks how you are feeling. Then he "prescribes" different dishes to make you healthier. Seems not to matter what he prescribes though. The food is fortifying.

[Too Tall]

Cooking new things tends to go in jags with me. I'll get the bug for something, work it for a good while than take the best of what I've learned and toss the rest. This is my take away from a Pho jag a few years ago. The highlighted paragraph is perhaps the most salient for putting hot rejuvenating food on the table in the blink of an eye. There is no trick to it other than have the basics on hand and some fresh vegg or protein sliced thin to toss on top. Dangit Goodrich you might have pushed me over the edge in to another PHO jag. It's so good.

Ramen
A quick and easy shio broth doesn't take much more than dashi, chicken stock and seasonings of salt, Japanese white pepper and mirin (Japanese rice wine for cooking). Sauté some sweet corn and bean sprouts in a little butter, and it'll add a tasty and rich touch to shio ramen.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/22/428...#storylink=cpy

For a quick miso ramen base, add four cups of dashi to three tablespoons of miso paste and simmer. Add that broth to freshly boiled ramen noodles, complete with the toppings of your choice and you've got a simple yet satisfying bowl of ramen. For a spicy kick, add chili oil to taste.

[fortyfour]

We have a friend who showed my wife's twin how to make a bunch of recipes including Pho.. I'll have to dig up the recipe. From memory it's all about the spices and getting things dialed as you go along. We just had this about a week or so ago. It's a winter favorite for sure.

[lemonlaug]

We have a friend who showed my wife's twin how to make a bunch of recipes including Pho.. I'll have to dig up the recipe. From memory it's all about the spices and getting things dialed as you go along. We just had this about a week or so ago. It's a winter favorite for sure.

Winter? You're supposed to eat that for breakfast in 95 F heat, and 100% humidity with an oscillating fan blowing on you no more than 30% of the time.

[summilux]

Some tips:
-buy the best quality fish sauce you can find. The good stuff comes in glass bottles, has a reddish tinge to it and is probably the most pricey in the store
-charring the ginger and onions is a must. I just use the broiler on my oven. Charing on the stove is just a big mess.
-I like a bit of sugar in my Pho. Look for cane sugar (packed in rectangular cubes) or rock candy in oriental stores. Otherwise, use brown sugar.
-I bring the beef bones to a rapid boil, dump the water, rinse the bones and then make the pho from that. I feel that it makes a smoother stock, but my wife thinks I'm just trying to pretend I'm Thomas Keller.
-Refresh your bean sprouts in cold water for an hour before you use them
-North American basil is a poor substitute for Vietnamese basil

BTW it us really pronounced Fah, but if you say that no one but a Vietnamese will know what you are talking about

[summilux]

Seeing this thread last week inspired me to make some Pho this weekend. This recipe is good enough for 8 bowls of Pho.

2.5 lbs of beef bones. I used shank bones.
3 inch unpeeled piece of ginger
1 onion unpeeled

2 unpeeled garlic cloves
6 anise pods
4 inch piece cinnamon stick
1 heaping Tbs of corriander seeds
1 heaping Tbs of fennel seeds
1 1/2 t of goos quality salt

Vietnamese fish sauce
Chinese Rock Candy

Halve the ginger and onion. Stick under the broiler, sut side down untill everything is good and black and charred. The onion will blacken first. Once black, peel away the burnt skin on both. You don't need to be anal about removing the charred stuff. You should get rid of most but a little bit of black helps the flavor.

First boil. Cover the beef bones (about 3 quarts of water) and bring to a rolling boil. A scum will form. Throw out the water and scum. Scrub out your pot. Rinse the bones so they are nice and clean.

Second boil. Cover the bones again and add everything else. Bring to a simmer for about 3 hours. Drain, keeping everything. Refrigerate the stock or stick it in the snow, like I did.

Third boil. Simmer everything overnight.

Combine 2nd and 3rd boils and bring to a boil. Add about 1/3 c of fish sauce and a thumb sized piece of rock candy. Adjust to taste by adding more fish sauce, salt or sugar. You want this to be on the slightly salty side. Just before serving, bring the Pho to a roiling boil and keep it there. This needs to be hot.

For the noodles. Soak 1 full packet of rice noodles in cold water for about 20 minutes. This amount will serve 4 people. Get a pot of unsalted water to a boil and put the soaked noodles in. Count to 5 and drain the noodles.
I buy thinly sliced beef form the Korean grocer. Put noodles in the bowl, add raw sliced beef on top. Pour Pho on top. Serve with garnish of beansprouts and Vietnamese basil.

[Too Tall]

Thanks Summilox. That's one of the best start to finish PHO recipes I've seen. Since my wife won't eat beef PHO can I use lamb or maybe turkey bones?

[summilux]

I've only ever used beef bones. Off the top of my head, I'd say that lamb was too gamey but turkey should be good. Perhaps roast the turkey bones before making stock?