Vietnamese Pho Recipe

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, a few herbs, and meat, primarily made with either beef or chicken. Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam and the specialty of restaurant chains around the world. Vietnamese people usually consume it at any time of day. It is often served with sriracha sauce. Pho originated in the early 20th century in northern Vietnam, and was popularized throughout the rest of the world by refugees after the Vietnam War. Because pho's origins are poorly documented, there is disagreement over the cultural influences that led to its development in Vietnam. The etymology of the word also is unclear. The Hanoi and Saigon styles of pho differ by noodle width, sweetness of broth, and choice of herbs.

In the United States, pho began to enter the mainstream during the 1990s, as relations between the U.S. and Vietnam improved. At that time Vietnamese restaurants began opening quickly in Texas and California, spreading rapidly along the country.

Pho is served in a bowl with a specific cut of white rice noodles in clear beef broth, with slim cuts of beef: steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket. Variations feature tendon, tripe, or meatballs in southern Vietnam. Chicken pho is made using the same spices as beef, but the broth is made using only chicken bones and meat.