Traditional Vietnamese Pho Recipe

Pho is a popular Vietnamese noodle soup that is famous for its flavorful broth and tender meat. This traditional recipe uses homemade beef broth infused with aromatic spices and served with rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, and fresh herbs. The result is a comforting and satisfying dish that is perfect for any time of the year. With a preparing time of 2 hours and 30 minutes, this recipe yields a bowl of fragrant pho that will transport you to the streets of Vietnam.

Ingredients

• For the Beef Broth:
• - 4 pounds beef bones
• - 1 onion, sliced
• - 3-inch ginger, sliced
• - 5 star anise
• - 3 cinnamon sticks
• - 5 cloves
• - 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• - 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• - 4 cardamom pods
• - 1 tablespoon salt
• - 1 tablespoon sugar
• - 8 cups water
• For the Pho:
• - 1 pound rice noodles
• - 1 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced
• - 2 green onions, chopped
• - ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• - ½ cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• - ½ cup bean sprouts
• - Lime wedges and sliced chili peppers for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place the beef bones on a baking sheet and roast them for 30 minutes.
2. In a large pot, add the roasted beef bones, sliced onion, sliced ginger, star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cardamom pods.
3. Fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
4. Add salt and sugar to the broth, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 2 hours.
5. While the broth simmers, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions and set them aside.
6. Once the broth is ready, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot. Discard the solids.
7. Return the strained broth to the stove and bring it to a simmer.
8. Add the thinly sliced beef sirloin to the simmering broth and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the beef is cooked to your desired doneness.
9. Divide the cooked rice noodles among serving bowls. Top each bowl with the sliced beef, green onions, cilantro leaves, Thai basil leaves, and bean sprouts.
10. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and garnish with lime wedges and sliced chili peppers.
11. Serve the pho hot, allowing each person to customize their bowl with additional herbs, sprouts, and seasonings as desired.

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