Pho Real

By Aisha Salazar

Boiling down Vietnamese soul food Cruise around Northern Virginia, and you are bound to come across a Vietnamese restaurant serving pho—a traditional noodle soup.

Originally served as breakfast in Northern Vietnam, pho is now devoured at all hours throughout Vietnam and the United States. But how exactly is pho made?

According to Kiet Bui, owner of three Viet House restaurants, the secret is in the broth. Bui’s version—which begins by cooking marrow, knuckle or oxtail bones for up to six hours—includes a combination of dried star anise, dried fructose Tsaoko, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, black pepper, MSG, salt and sugar. The mixture is placed in a cloth bag and immersed in the broth for an additional two-and-a-half hours. Together they produce the characteristic pho taste.

The noodles, onions, scallions and assorted cuts of meat (brisket and flank are favorites) are traditionally added within the last 30 minutes. In fact, raw eye-of-round steak, or tai, will cook within minutes when immersed in the soup.

Pho is typically topped with cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, saw leaves, jalapenos and limes. Sriracha or plum sauce can be added to suit individual tastes.

Nowadays, most ingredients can be found in Asian grocery stores. Bui, however, prefers purchasing rice noodles from California to those available in Virginia markets.

A large bowl of pho is a meal on its own and will satisfy any appetite. It’s even rumored to cure hangovers.

Hungry for more? The story continues at: www.NorthernVirginiaMag.com/phoshizzle.

(June 2010)