“Do you know how to eat pho?” or “Wow, you’re so goofeed, you know how to eat [insert food item like balut j/k ]” is a term my mom always use for asking if someone knows how to enjoy a food item.
So I ask you, do you know how to eat pho? I’m not asking if you know how to shove pho in your mouth, chew, then swallow. That’s easy. What I mean is how to enjoy all the flavors of eating pho. Pho is simple and delicious but complex in flavors. There are many different flavors in a bowl of pho.
The correct way how to enjoy a bowl of pho is a personal preference but there is a way to maximize all the flavors in a bowl NOT consisting of squeezing those two bottles at every pho table into your bowl.
I had pho today so I wanted to share my way of eating and enjoying the wonderful, nutritious soup.
History
Pho originated in the early 20th century in northern Vietnam, southeast of Hanoi in Nam Định Province, then a substantial textile market. The traditional home of pho is reputed to be the villages of Vân Cù and Dao Cù (or Giao Cù) in Đông Xuân commune, Nam Trực District, Nam Định Province. According to villagers, pho was eaten in Vân Cù long before the French colonial period when it was popularized. Blah-di blah blah. I have no shame, I copied this section straight from Wikipedia. Read more at ( wikipedia/Pho)
“Most white people pour the hoisin right in there and they kill my broth,” Chef Charles scolds. “I just love the purity of the broth. You should never dump stuff in it. I see it all the time and it just drives me bonkers.”
Pho Philosophy
A few weeks ago, I was listening to NPR on the walk to work using their Android App, NPR One (web / mobile), by the way one of the best audio type apps I have ever used, and came across a story on how to get the best bite of pho from the Sporkful podcast. The story was interesting because chef Charles Phan has the same philosophy as I do when it comes to eating pho. Don’t Foxtrot with the broth.
The Broth
The most important part of pho is the broth. Some restaurants spends roughly 18 hours cooking the bone broth and melding all the favors from all the spices into that bowl of pho. It’s the main reason why you don’t want to contaminate the broth with any sauces or spices. So the first thing you should do when you get your bowl of pho is to taste-test the soup. You can get the true flavors and you can tell how good a pho restaurant is from that initial taste.
The Meat
You can add brisket, flank, tripe, tendon, rare steak, to your bowl of pho but keep in mind that most of the meat are not marinated. They have been boiled in the soup or in their own broth. Most restaurants wants to keep the broth as clear as possible indicating the best broth. The trick for the pho restaurants is to get the sweetest broth while maintaining clarity of the broth. So, since the meat are mostly bland, you use the small dipping plates usually found near the chopsticks, forks containers to combine the hoisin sauce with Sriracha and I like to add the lemon / lime and mix it all up. The result is a sweet, sour, spicy concoction that compliments the meat well. PLEASE do not take those two bottles and turn them upside down then squeeze as hard as you can to get every last drop of hoisin and Sriracha into your bowl. It’s an amateur mistake and I cry inside every time I see it.
A tidbit of information. I used to remember back in the 80s, (not dating myself at all) the “special” bowl was call xe lửa “the train”, which contained all the special meats and comes in a gigantic bowl. I rarely see the name on menu anymore but you can still order the special, combo or number 1 at most restaurants.
The Veggie-ish Plate
The veggie plate that comes with every bowl of pho has its purposes. The mint / thai basil are used to add or change the flavor of the broth without compromising the true taste of the magical broth. If you want the soup to be spicy, use the green jalapeños to make it spicy, NOT the Sriracha. Finally, there is the bean sprout. I personally use the sprout to cool down the soup if needed. I personally think the sprout does not change the flavor of the soup and it’s purpose is to just cool down the soup. I use it sparingly depending on how hot the soup is.
The Process of Eating
First of all, taste the soup as intended by the chef before changing its flavors. You will develop a keen taste bud to pho and become the next pho aficionado. After tasting the soup, you can then add the basil or mint to the broth if you prefer different layers on top of the base broth. If you are one of those people who eat peppers as a snack, you would probably add the green jalapeños to the soup to add spiciness again without changing the broth. Then if the broth is too hot, add the sprouts to reduce the temperature so you can safely enjoy the pho without cooking a layer of your tongue.
My biggest pet peeve is getting a bowl of lukewarm pho. I would send it back.
Here is an exception to the rule I have above about not adding hoisin or Sriracha to your broth. This is the ONLY time you are permitted to add it to your broth. If by chance that you stumble upon one of the worse tasting broth you have ever tasted, then you may add hoisin and or Sriracha to the broth or should I say hot water selling as pho. Hoisin sauce and Sriracha has the magical power of turning any bad broth into something edible.
Conclusion
Of course, you can enjoy that bowl of pho however you like but maybe once, try it like how I described it above and open your mind to pure pho bliss. Enjoy!
