Pho Bo: Vietnamese Beef Soup with Rice Noodles

Pho Bo: Vietnamese Beef Soup with Rice Noodles

Pho bo is Vietnam's national dish and one of the world's greatest soups. A clear beef-bone broth with star anise and cinnamon, thin rice noodles and fresh herbs — a dish of depth and fragrance.

History of the dish

Pho appeared in northern Vietnam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, probably under the influence of French colonial cooking (pot-au-feu) and Chinese migrants. After the country's division, the northern and southern styles diverged.

Key ingredients

Beef bones (marrow and knuckle), star anise, cinnamon, cloves, charred ginger and onion, fish sauce, rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, chilli.

How to cook at home

The broth simmers for 6–12 hours. Blanch the bones for 10 minutes and discard the first water — this gives clarity. Char the spices and onion directly over a gas flame until blackened — this is the key aroma.