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What the phở?
Traditionally made with beef broth, thin rice noodles and
even thinner slices of lean rare beef, this soup gained widespread popularity
in Vietnam during the early 20th century. The precise history and
origin are unclear, but the outcome was the crave-worthy, cure-all cuisine
known as phở.
A single bowl has the ability to relieve colds, warm hearts and possibly fight crime. Stuffy noses and bad moods don’t stand a chance when you combine boiling hot broth with fiery Sriracha sauce. Although best experienced during a rainy day or springtime allergy attack, phở-season is in fact 365 days long.
For a one-syllable word, it’s awfully hard to pronounce properly. Most Minnesotans mistakenly rhyme it with a Joey Lawrence-style “Whoa!” However, if you want to order like a certified phở-master, just start saying your favorite curse word (but please, don’t finish it).
While the spring rolls may be painless to make at home, phở is best left to professionals. The broth is the most complicated part, and often takes up a whole stove on its own in a Vietnamese restaurant. Beef and oxtail bones are simmered for hours along with onions, Saigon cinnamon, star anise, seared ginger, cloves and black cardamom. The broth must be hot enough to cook the noodles and beef in each bowl as it is being served, meaning you’ll likely need some aloe vera handy if you try this without supervision.
May I Take Your Phởrder?
Beef phở, or phở bò, is the most common kind of phở. Licensed meat eaters order it with the raw beef on the side, plopping it into the broth as they eat so the meat doesn’t overcook. Other, more Americanized versions of the soup include chicken, seafood and even vegetarian phở (which is still sometimes served with beef broth, so be sure to ask). Most restaurants also have a special phở that includes flank steak, tendon, meatballs and tripe for those who love a carnivorous adventure in texture.
Whatever style you select, it will always be served in a big simple bowl, accompanied by all the bean sprouts, jalapeños, limes, cilantro, fresh basil and sauces you need to make it complicated. Northern Vietnamese purists will argue that adding anything compromises the integrity of the phở, but Southerners still indulge in excessive garnishing. Here in the Twin Cities, you don’t have to follow the rules – just start throwing things in…or not.
There is a method to the utensil madness. Phở is a two-tool project. Use the spoon for the broth and chopsticks for everything else. If you start embarrassing your date, it’s OK to ask for a fork, just don’t twirl your noodles like a jerk.
Where do I Phind a Bowl?
Minnesota is nationally recognized for having some of the best Vietnamese food in the 50 states, so it’s natural that we find some of the best phở right here in our fair Cities.
