Pho Show!

My grandma is a Pho snob. There is only one place in all of Vietnam that she thinks befitting of her breakfast services. And they sell out fast and in some random nook that is impossible to find. Mornings in Ho Chi Minh would be all of us gathering around to eat with her while listening to Elvis Phuong and hearing her tell us stories of the old days of her journeys as a rice trader during the war.

There are many things that I try to resemble my grandmother. However, Pho snob I am not. I think I have decently low standards as long as its hot! This is probably because I have lived in the middle of America for the last decade where any Pho is better than none. Pho SHOW!

That is why, if you happen to be impossibly far from a Pho joint, I have created this amazingly simple way of making the noodle soup that is just like the stuff that we can all buy at our city's version of Pho### or Saigon/Vietnam/Mekong-cafe.

Ingredients:

1. 3 Cans Beef broth 
2. Banh Pho (Pho Noodles/Rice Sticks) 
3. 2 Cups of Water 
4. Salt + Pepper  
5. 2 lb. Beef  
6. 1/2 Onion Peeled  
7. 1 Chunk of Ginger  
8. Herbs:  
a. Bean Sprouts  
b. Mint  
c. Sweet Basil  
9. Spices:  
a. Rock Sugar  
b. Star Anise  
c. Cinnamon  
d. Cardamom  
e. Fennel Seeds  
f. Whole Coriander Seeds  
10. Coffee Filter or Tea Infuser  
11. Hoisin Sauce

A. Soup:  
1. Slice open ginger into 1/2 
2. Microwave ginger for 1 minute  
3. Boil 2 cups of water with 1/2 Onion & Microwaved Ginger.  
○ Leave boiling for about 5 minutes 
4. Add 1 Can of beef broth & bring to boil.  
5. Wrap & seal spices with Coffee filter (or place into tea infuser) 
6. Deposit package into broth.  
7. Leave heat on Medium and bring to boil.  
8. Add another can of beef broth.  
9. Repeat 7&8.  
10. Bring to boil and leave boiling for 20 minutes.

B. Beef: • Slice beef into thin slices

C. Herbs: Wash with cold water 3 times and plate for everyone to share.

D. Pho Noodles: 
1. Boil water.  
2. Drop into boiling water and stir.  
3. Should cook in about 4-5 minutes.  
4. Rise with cold water.

E. Serve:  
1. Bowl the noodles.  
2. Top with raw beef slices and bean sprouts.  
3. Pour boiling soup on top.  
4. Add herbs (done at table)  
5. Add Hoisin

And remember kids, don't be a snob and share it with your neighbors and share a few war stories. Cause you will probably be too tired to clean up after yourself and your friends are likely gracious and grateful enough to do the dishes.(If not, ditch them and replace with better ones. PHO REALZ!)