Vietnamese soup is a traditional dish of Vietnam. It consists of meat like beef, chicken, or pork, and other garnishing ingredients such as fresh herbs, vegetables, bean sprouts, etc. The noodles present in this cuisine are made from rice instead of wheat.
Typically, you can find a few types of pho in Vietnamese restaurant which have different tastes. Not only is it full of flavors but also a complete pack of nutritional elements. That’s why it is the most loved cuisine in Vietnam as well as all around the world.
Moreover, there are several specialties of the Pho that we are highlighting in this article.
7 Top Facts Everyone Should Know About Pho
Kinds Of Pho
Pho Bac: Its origin is from the Northern part of Vietnam. This Vietnamese soup is soft with clean beef broth and broad rice noodles. There are a lot of scallions, shallots, coriander leaves, and mints present as garnishing ingredients.
Pho Nam: It derives from the Southern part. It has a thick beef broth and thin rice noodles. Basically, in the South regions, you will find the bone marrow, brisket, and tendon of cows in a pho. Additionally, the garnishes it includes are mung sprouts and spices.
Pho Ga: It is a chicken pho that has a light broth and is full of plenty of flavors with little pepperiness. Its soup has a great fragrance because of the presence of raw condiments. Chefs serve the dish along with a platter of water spinach splitter and Thai basil. Using the chili or sriracha sauce, you can spice up the flavor of the cuisine.
Pho Cuon: It is a rice noodle soup. Among the various types of pho, it’s the healthiest one. Therefore, the dish is likely a perfect choice for people who want to add a healthy food option to their diet.
During the cooking of pho in Vietnamese restaurant, chefs use rice noodles and wrap them up with green veggies, lettuce, and meat. The highlight of this soup is the delicious dipping sauce which tastes spicy.
Pho Xao: This pho consists of wide rice noodles, oysters, shallots, scallions, and mung sprouts. The brown color of the dish comes from the soy sauce present in it. One thing that attracts the attention of the soup is its smoky flavors which come due to its preparation in a skillet cooker. People who do not like beef can have other options such as chicken and seafood.
The Simplicity Of Delicious Pho
People of Vietnam eat the pho three times, that is, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is among the best Vietnamese dishes and has become the favorite of every local and foreign visitor. You will find them munching over the bowls at restaurants and street vendors.
Even with its outer simplicity, Vietnamese soup has a huge combination of varieties of delicious flavors inside it. During its cooking process, the main focus is on preparing a clear and tasty broth. You may find it soft in texture but actually, it is harder.
The taste of Pho generally depends on the soup stock and the spice mixture which is a blend of anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and fennel seeds. Mixing the shallots and ginger enhances the taste of the dish.
Next, we talk about noodles which are prepared using rice flour. This one ingredient is the heart of the dish that spices up the taste of the dish. It rolls around the meat pieces which makes the cuisine look refined. Fresh garnishing ingredients like coriander leaves, scallions, and Thai basil complete the whole assembling of the food. Typically, the chefs offer the pho in Vietnamese restaurant with a great presentation of mouthwatering condiments.
Nutritional Facts
Pho is among the healthiest dishes in Vietnam. With its delicious taste, it also serves a health benefit. The elements present in this cuisine are very healthy such as carbohydrates, protein, and vitamins.
Let’s talk about the nutritional facts of the Pho:
Nutritive Ingredients: A variety of nutritive ingredients are added to prepare an appetizing Vietnamese soup. Here we are listing them:
- Beef Bone: The broth consists of beef bone that is rich in elements like chondroitin, glucosamine, and collagen. These compounds are very beneficial for joint health.
- Ginger: You can find gingerol, an element having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is an aid to joint ache and swelling.
- Herbs and Green Veggies: They are perfect for garnishing the pho which is rich in vitamin C, K, and A, calcium, potassium, etc. In addition, it contains Polyphenol, an element present in cilantro and Thai basil which also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Both the ingredients help in reducing heart disorders and cancer.
Rich In Protein: Almost every pho dish consists of different types of meat. Adding mushrooms and tofu is perfect for vegetarians. All these ingredients serve a good amount of protein that is very beneficial for young skin and strong hair.
In addition, protein is a vital nutrient that is known as a building block of cells. It builds the muscles, hormones, tissues, and organs. People can add pho to their diet will help to meet the dietary requirement of protein essential for the body.
Gluten-free: Pho consists of rice noodles which are made using rice instead of wheat, and it makes the dish gluten-free. Moreover, all fruits and green veggies are naturally present with no gluten in them.
Preparation of Pho
Although its outer appearance looks very simple, which can make you think it’s easy to cook. However, preparing such a delicious bowl of soup is not an easy task. The broth is very clear, smooth, and rich in an abundance of flavors of fresh condiments and nutritional ingredients.
Moreover, when we talk about its preparation, pho in Vietnamese restaurant is cooked by steaming oxtails, beef steaks, shallots, and herbs. In the case of chicken pho, chefs use the flesh and bones of the chicken.
The pho tastes flavorful because of the raw herbs such as cinnamon, ginger, onion, cardamom, anise, cloves, fennel, and coriander seed. Chefs wrap all these ingredients in a muslin cloth and simmer them for many hours.
Chefs use muslin cloth because it makes cooking easy. When the soup becomes full of flavors of all the ingredients, it becomes easy to take all the spices altogether. Next, they skim off the top layer of broth after a proper simmering. Moreover, the seasoning of the pho in Vietnamese restaurant includes coriander leaves, scallions, chili peppers, and basil.
Diversity Of Pho In Different Regions
You can find several varieties of pho which look and taste different according to the distinct regions. Typically, there is a lot of difference in cooking styles of the northern part and southern part.
Basically, pho derives from the Northern region. From there, the people bring the culture of this dish to the southern part.
Pho In Northern Region:
- Broth: It is very spicy.
- Noodles: wide in shape.
- Meat: chicken or ground beef.
- Garnishing Ingredients: scallions and cilantro
- Sauces: hot chili and fish sauce.
Pho In South Region:
- Broth: It is sweeter.
- Noodles: thin in shape.
- Meat: parts of beef such as bones, tendon, fatty steak, briskets, and meatballs.
- Garnishing Ingredients: sprouts of mung beans, cilantro, and basil.
- Sauces: Lime, chilis, hoisin, and chili sauce.
Reflects The Significance Of Vietnam’s Culture
Vietnam has been an agricultural country for many years. Rice is mostly grown in every part which plays an important role in the economy and in earning a living. As we have already mentioned, pho usually consists of rice noodle, that is among its main ingredients.
In addition, this Vietnamese soup is a standard dish because of the balanced mixture of different traditional ingredients. This Vietnamese soup includes many unique herbs that you can hardly find anywhere. Besides this, people also enjoy glasses of rice wine while having this cuisine which reflects the specialty of an agricultural country.
This shows how the people make use of local ingredients in preparing the soup. Thus, it reflects the agricultural significance of Vietnam in Vietnamese dishes.
Way Of Eating The Pho
For eating the pho in Vietnamese restaurant, chefs will serve a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. Pick the chopstick and roll the rice noodles around it to slurp it up. You can taste the flavor of broth using a spoon.
Here, are the steps to eat the Vietnamese soup:
Sip The Broth: First start with the sipping of the liquid part, which will fill your mouth with different flavors. Such as the rich taste of meats and the savors of cinnamon, anise, and ginger.
Sampling And Seasoning: Just as the chef serves the dish, the first thing one has to do is a sampling of the soup. If it tastes less spicy, adding the fish sauce can enhance its flavor.
Next, you have to add green veggies into the hot broth using chopsticks to make them soft. It is how you can enjoy your Pho.
Summing Up
These all are the specialty of Vietnamese soup which make it stand out among various dishes. To all the food enthusiasts, this cuisine is a most appetizing option as it has many variations. Some pho is very spicy while others have a sweet taste.
Condiments and garnishes the pho includes also vary in flavor. So, if you’re exploring Vietnam for first time and looking for the flavorful pho, visit our Dakao Hoang restaurant, which serves a variety of options. You will definitely enjoy your day with a mouthwatering Vietnamese soup.
