Pho-Pho-Pho!

Pho is judged by its broth.

Have you had cloudy broth?  That happens when you don't tend your broth.  Baby the broth and skim the top constantly to keep the broth clear.  Yes, it takes time but you will be rewarded with a beautiful pot of broth.

Have you tasted "meaty" broth?  Want good soup?  You need to boil the bones first to get rid of that meaty flavor.

So I think I know the mechanics of broth making.  But, how the heck do you get those exotic flavors infused in the broth?  Inquiring mind wants to know!!

Not satisfied with eating out, I decided to challenge myself with pho making.  After couple of tries, I slowly grasped the flavor and the taste.

First of all, you need the right ingredients.  Pho broth is infused with all kind of spices.  Variation in portions of the spices results in different combination of flavors.  I think that's why some pho taste better than others.

Secondly, the secret is in BROILING the ginger and onions until they are dried and charred at the edges.  In my first try, I did not broil them long enough so the flavors were not released.  In my second try, I let it broil for a good 20 minutes until the spiciness of the ginger and the sweetness of the onions permeated from the oven.

Put all the ingredients in a pot of water and let it simmer.  OK... I shamelessly added in a can of beef broth - just in case - for added flavor.

Let the broth simmer for 3 hours.  It needs love and tender care.  Don't let it boil too quickly because you don't want the broth to become muddy and you want to be patient in picking up the impurities to keep the broth clear.  So, pick an afternoon when you are relaxed and have the time to baby the broth.

So far I made pho twice.  I learned from my mistakes and I actually improved quite a bit by the second time -  I used less water; I added more spices, and I let the ginger and broil longer.  I am by no mean making professional grade pho, but I think I have earned some bragging rights with my family and friends.  Tee-hee...

Surely you can use pre-mixed pho broth powder but where is the fun doing that?  Part of pho making is the uniqueness of your broth flavor.  Add a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and your pho will be different from others.

Go ahead, make pho your way.  Have fun.

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Here's the pho recipe I found online:


Pho spices:
1 TBL coriander
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cardamon pods
5 star anise
1 TBL fennel seeds


- Pre boil beef bones (leg, knuckle the best) and other meats. I added beef tripe and tendons.
- Broil 4 gingers and 2 onions for 10-15 min
- Prepare 6 quart water. Put all ingredients in and let it simmer for 3 hours. Put the spices in a simmering pouch so it's not all over the soup.
- Season with salt, pepper, sugar. I added some rice wine and threw in couple of bay leaves.
- I used the thinly sliced beef sold in Chinese supermarket.
- Prepare the fresh condiments and the rice stick noodles.