# Vietnamese Beef noodle soup (Pho)



## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

Where I live, there is only one Vietnamese restaurant and it is far from my house so whenever I want to eat Pho, I have to make my own . Being lazy, I found a short cut to make this soup instead boiling soup stock all day. Oh yes, I did make stock but ahead of time and freeze for future use.
So last night, I had to change my menu at the last minute, I made Pho



Short cut to Pho

5 cups beef stock
3 anise stars
1 stick cinnamon
couple slices ginger
Rice noodle (onthe package it lists: Rice stick)
sliced beef
sliced onion
green onion, cut up
bean sprouts
sweet basil
lime wedges
shiraccha sauce
hoisin sauce

Heat up beef stock with the first 3 spices for about 20 minutes. 
In a large pan, boil 1 quart water, put 1/4 package rice stick in the boiling water, turn off heat, cover for 10 minutes, drain off water and place about 1 cup in a bowl.
Arrange slced beef on top, some sliced onions, then pour hot soup over meat and noodle . Garnish with green onions . When eat, put bean sprouts, sweet basil, season with hoisin sauce, shiraccha and lime juice to taste .


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

For recipe to make beef stock for this soup, please visit

Vietnamese recipes community and resource

and go into Recipes in English .

or click this:

VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP by Happy Forever


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## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

Mmmm. From reading the recipe this sounds very authentic! I couldn't imagine not being able to get pho nearby. I go to two different places 3 miles away, but they are not all that great.

Do you know the name of the other garnish served with pho? Not Thai basil, it almost looks like dandelion greens. Any idea?


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

It is culantro (ngò gai) . Base on your name, you must be in Hawaii . They grow lots of this plant there .










You can grow them from seeds. Oh, they smell soooo good .


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## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

Culantro.

Yes, that looks like it!

How do you pronounce the word?


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

Oahu,

Pronounce it as it appears : Koo lang tro

Vietnamese call it "Ngò gai" = thorny cilantro


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## rene (Oct 12, 2007)

no lemon grass? I thought lemon grass was a must with Vietnamese cuisne............Regardless looks great can I have a bowl please?


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

Rene,

Sorry, lemon grass is used for different kind of soup such as "Bún bò Huê", a kind hot soup from the Central VN . Never use lemon grass in Pho .
To know more about our Vietnamese cooking, please visit the two sites I posted above .


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## rene (Oct 12, 2007)

awh ok.... Our local Vietnemese restraunt uses lemon grass in everything they serve!! lol doesn't matter because i love it!


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

Rene,

May I ask where do you live and what is the name of that restaurant?:crazy:


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## rene (Oct 12, 2007)

Hi I live in Ontario / Canada and the restraunt is called "Pho Mi mi" ... they only opened up a couple of months ago the menu is small but it is good food... you either get your meal wet or dry... wet meaning in a bowl like soup ....

I have not had anything on the menu that I did not like.......


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## annud (Oct 23, 2007)

Yes, I remember some of the restaurants in Berkeley/San Fran were rather lemon-grass heavy, too, but still pretty good. I'll have to try this recipe...


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

It is so ironic that those restaurants can charge higher price than those in Little Saigon and get away with it . If one serve "Pho" with lemon grass in Little Saigon, one would not have any customer.


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## rene (Oct 12, 2007)

the next time I go to Po Mi Mi's I'll ask if their Pho soup has lemon grass in it, maybe it is just the other dishes that they serve have lemon grass.... I've tried a few selections on the menu, maybe I am confused.....


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## isabella (Aug 21, 2007)

That's the ticket . You are so cute, Rene . Nice to meet you .


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