When it comes to pho, a Vietnamese would have the distinct advantage of knowing how to eat it. Regardless of whether he or she grew up in his or her homeland or in an immigrant household abroad, he or she would have a mother or grandmother who would make this delicious breakfast noodle soup every day, cooked with snippets of a recipe. and with memories how it’s made in her mother’s own kitchen. Or at least, he or she would have a mother who would take the family out to a restaurant once in a while when they felt the need. Eating pho is natural for a Vietnamese.
A non-Vietnamese will not have the same experience. Besides having to deal with chopsticks, pho will always look and smell weird to anyone who didn’t grow up eating it. When faced with a steaming bowl of these noodles, and especially if it’s your first time trying Vietnam’s national dish, you may have a challenge on your hand. Here are some tips.
Simple process of enjoying Pho
If you’re in a pho shop for the first time, chances are you’ve been invited by a Vietnamese friend or a friend who knows the dish. But in case you’re a brave soul and decide to give it a try for yourself, figuring out how to eat pho can be a dilemma.
Fortunately, eating pho is not like eating western food or even Japanese food. There is no unspoken etiquette that must be observed. This dish is meant to be enjoyed with some noise and it’s okay to slurp it a lot. So here is the process in a nutshell.
The best way to attack a steaming bowl of pho is to have chopsticks in one hand and a tablespoon in the other. Take some broth with your spoon, slurp a little to taste it. Follow it with the rice noodles using your chopsticks. Then select bits of ingredients from the bowl and enjoy them individually or together with the broth and noodles. Easy. but there is more
taking the scent
Of course, before you start eating pho, you can’t help but notice the aroma created by the piping hot broth. Most of the time, just absorbing the rich aroma of the long-simmered beef broth with spices, roasted onion and roasted ginger is enough to whet your appetite. It also helps you appreciate this poetry in a bowl even more.
The fragrance of the broth is also a good indicator of its quality. Just one sniff will tell you if the spices are balanced when making the soup, if the broth is too salty, has MSG sprayed on it, or if the beef broth is poorly made. Remember that the soul of the pho is in the broth. So enjoying the aroma is definitely an important part of the dinner ritual.
What to do with the garnish
When you’re served southern-style Vietnamese pho, you’ll always be provided with a side dish. This dish usually contains bean sprouts, cilantro, Thai basil, sliced chili, and lime wedges. You will also have hoisin sauce and hot sauce available at the table.
Is there a specific order in which you should place these herbs in your pho bowl? The answer to this is no. With the garnish, you can think about finding the best combination that suits your taste. Each individual garnish brings its own distinctive smell and flavor to an already good bowl of pho. You don’t want to throw all of the garnish into the bowl at once. Rather, try a few at a time to get your preferred combination. More importantly, give the ingredients several chances (on different visits) and you’ll appreciate their roles in this noodle dish.
Here are some tips on consuming the ingredients:
- The bean sprouts get raw for the crunch factor. A little at a time to keep the crunch going as you eat, or add them all while the broth is hot to cook them all.
- Dipping the sliced chili into the hot broth releases the oil and makes the broth taste spicier. You can keep them if you dare. Many do.
- The lime juice adds acidity to the broth, which is good if the broth tastes bland or too sweet for you. The saltiness and acidity together make for a delicious combination that many people love.
- The grass blades are removed from the stalks and shredded into pieces before being placed in the container. For the best aroma and flavor, cut the leaves into smaller pieces and add as you go to keep the freshest, rawest flavor.
Eating pho is always an adventure, even for those who have enjoyed it all their lives. For first-time diners, the key is to relax and enjoy. You’ll find your own pho in no time.
