Pho, a famous traditional Vietnamese dish, originated in northern Vietnam, with its perfect combination of rice noodles and rich broth. It has also been chosen to represent Vietnam on the world culinary map.
1. The Origin of Traditional Vietnamese Pho
Traditional pho is a dish closely linked to the history of the nation’s development and embodies the distinctive cultural characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine. Specifically, in 1908-1909, many steamships ran from Hanoi to Hai Phong and Nam Dinh. In addition, sailing boats carrying fish sauce and dried goods from Thanh Nghe created a bustling and vibrant scene on the Red River. A huge demand for affordable food also emerged there. Food stalls flocked to the riverbanks, but buffalo stew was the most popular. This dish is made with buffalo meat and is usually eaten with rice noodles or rice vermicelli. Later, the buffalo stew was transformed into beef stew by the women learning from each other.
However, because beef has a strong smell when cold, the technique of simmering over low heat was invented. Gradually, cooks added spices to make the beef suit the Vietnamese palate. Our ancestors also created a suitable broth, and served it with rice noodles cut into strands, resulting in the famous pho dish we know today.
2. Main components in a bowl of traditional pho
The main components of traditional pho are rice noodles, broth, and thinly sliced beef. Previously, only cooked beef pho was available with all the cuts of beef: “cooked, shank, brisket, and flank.” Later, diners accepted rare beef pho, chicken pho, pork pho, shrimp pho, etc.
In particular, traditional rice noodles are made from rice flour, spread into thin sheets, and then cut into strands. The broth is generally made by simmering beef bones. The meat used for pho is beef or chicken, and the spices include cinnamon, star anise, ginger, cardamom, cloves, dried onions, shrimp, prawns, dried ginseng, oxtail, coriander seeds, etc. Each restaurant or chef has their own recipes and secrets to create a broth with its own distinctive flavor.
3. Traditional Pho – the national dish of Vietnam
In the book “Hanoi Thirty-Six Streets,” writer Thach Lam once wrote: “Good pho must be classic pho, cooked with beef, with a clear and sweet broth, soft but not mushy noodles, crispy but not tough fatty beef brisket. Lemon, chili, and onion are all present, fresh herbs, black pepper, a sharp drop of lime juice, and a touch of water beetle essence, subtly present like a hint of doubt.”
The ingredients for pho seem simple, found in ordinary markets throughout the country, but creating its characteristic, rich flavor is not easy.
Pho is a dish that requires a complicated preparation process, with many steps and also consumes a lot of time. A chef not only needs to master each step of cooking pho but also must possess passion and national pride to create a dish that embodies the soul and character of Vietnam. Furthermore, this dish is considered a representative of Vietnamese culinary culture due to its long-standing tradition and numerous famous pho restaurants such as Pho Thin, Pho Ly Quoc Su, and Pho Bat Dan…
Although originating from the North, pho has long become a national dish of Vietnam. It can be found throughout the country in various variations. In fact, pho has crossed national borders, “going abroad” with the footsteps of Vietnamese people all over the world.