Vietnamese Pho

Pho soup is a traditional Vietnamese soup that has become popular around the world. The history of pho soup dates back to the early 20th century, during the French colonization of Vietnam. Pho soup was initially developed in Northern Vietnam, in the Hanoi region, as a street food sold by vendors who would roam the streets with their portable kitchens. The word "pho" is believed to have been derived from the French word "pot-au-feu," which means "pot on the fire." The original pho soup was made with beef bones, which were simmered for several hours to create a flavorful broth. The broth was then seasoned with spices such as star anise, cinnamon, and cloves, and served with rice noodles, thinly sliced beef or chicken, and fresh herbs like cilantro and basil. Pho soup quickly became popular among the working class in Vietnam, who would often eat it for breakfast or lunch. As the popularity of pho soup grew, more and more vendors began to sell it, and it eventually spread throughout the country.

Bones
 1 kg Beef Bones
 600 g Marrow Bones
 1.70 l Water
Aromatics
 1 Onions (halved)
 1 Leek
 1 Garlic Cloves
 28 g Ginger (slices)
 5 tbsp Fish Sauce
Spices to Sauté
 4 Cloves
 2 Star Anise
 1 Cinnamon Stick
 1 Cardamon Pod
 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
Spices
 20 g Brown Sugar
 1 tsp Salt

Pre-Boil
1

  • Place the bones in to the larger pot and cover with enough water, boil for 5 minutes.
  • Then clean the bones under running water and place them aside.

Sauté
2

  • Place all the spices in Instant Pot. Saute spices and when the spices begin to release its’ fragrance (~2.5 mins), remove and set aside.
  • Oil bottom of the halved onions and add in 2 halved onions (flat side down) and ginger pieces.
  • Allow the onions and ginger to char (don’t touch them for ~5 mins). After 4 mins, add in a crushed garlic clove.

Deglaze
3

  • Now deglaze the pan with water and return bones in to the pot, including all aromatics and all spices.
  • Optionally you can place any slice of beef meat in to pot to cook with the soup (for topping).

4

Pressure cooking method
Pressure cook for 1 hour on 80kpa with Natural release (30 minutes).

5

Slow cooking method
Slow cook on LOW for at least 6 and up to 12 hours.

Finalize
6

  • Afterwards strain the broth and use fat separator to remove excess fat.
  • Serve with Pho Bo noodles, spring onions, chicken breast or beef meat.

This recipe was inspired by this site.