6 Surprising Facts About Pho You May Not Realize
Phở is not only a noodle soup - even when you are traveling in Vietnam, you probably won't know it. These facts about Phở will tell you the hidden sides of it.
Needless to say, Phở has a significant meaning in Vietnamese cuisine. While its international popularity already engages itself with an iconic presentation, smell and cooking method, is there anything else about Phở that you have missed? In this article, we are going to share with you 6 facts about Phở, with more fascinating findings.
1. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner - You can eat Phở noodle soup anytime
Phở noodle soup can be found at any time of the day, even at midnight! It is considered as an all-in-one dish for everyone. It’s nutritious, soul-warming, and the safest choice if you have a weak stomach or fever. Setting aside the technical "Phở-losophy" in Vietnamese cuisine, it is simply a bowl of comfort food that everybody can enjoy whenever they want.
Having a jet lag night with an empty stomach? You know you have Phở to fill it up, but make sure you stay in the Old Quarter area where you can find a few stalls working at midnight.
2. Phở Bò (Beef Phở) is symbolic but cannot tell you everything about Phở today
Phở may be the reason why visitors come to Vietnam. It is forever a must-try noodle dish that Vietnamese locals would recommend to you without even thinking. A steaming hot soup bowl filled with long white strands of rice noodles, a few slices of beef in different cuts, a lot of green onion and the smell of aromatic spices in the broth,... has been the signature of Vietnamese cuisine for so many years but, has sparked an incomplete conception about Phở nowadays. The evolution of Phở has flourished after the wartime. As a result, the world-known Beef Phở became just a kind among other delicious Phở dishes, although its popularity has not been beaten up until now. In the past, Phở is just a noodle soup but now, it can also be the name of the noodle in different kinds of dishes.
3. Phở is also the short name of the noodle
To address the name in full, it is ‘Bánh Phở’ that represents the noodles in the same-name dish. The word “Phở” itself speaks out that it is not all about the broth, the meat, and perhaps the condiment you saw from the famous Phở Bò (Beef Phở) but it is also about the presence of the noodle and its diverse manifestations in other dishes. It is the same as “Bún” (Vermicelli noodles), in which you are able to taste countless dishes with the name starting with “Bún”. See more plates of Bún and other rice noodles here, and if you are interested in Phở multiple dishes, make sure you continue reading the rest of our blog.
Bánh Phở (the noodle) is popularly sold in every local market (Photo: Internet)
4. Phở in different regions of Vietnam has different ingredients and flavors
It’s normal to see everything change in Vietnam. If you have a chance to travel across Vietnam from North to South, you’ll see the climate, the terrain, the minorities change, and the cuisine as well. Vietnamese people creatively alter their food based on the regional taste, ingredients and culture, and Phở - the national dish of the country is not an exception.
While beef and chicken Phở noodle soup are more popular, what about pork lovers? Can you find Pork Phở in Vietnam? Our answer is yes, although it’s not common. Travel to northern provinces like Bac Ha, Ha Giang, Sapa, Lang Son where they serve Phở Chua (Sour Phở) - Phở noodles with charsiu pork, pickled mustard green and a sour dressing. Moreover, while exploring the local tribal market somewhere in this mountainous area, you can find roasted pork Phở as well to diversify your Phở-nominal food journey.
Phở chua (Sour Phở) is a specialty in Northern Vietnam (Photo: Internet)
Especially in Lang Son where Vietnam borders China, duck Phở is the most popular because this place is proud of its roasted duck dish. The broth is fragrant with bone and juice from the roasted ducks. The meat has an appealing amber color on the skin, very shiny and tender. We recommend it!
Phở Vịt Quay (Roasted duck Phở) is popular in Lang Son
5. Hanoi Phở vs Saigon Phở has been the iconic discussion
Besides its history, the biggest controversial argument over Phở Bò centers around how Hanoian and Saigonese enjoy the dish. It is actually one of the things that make these 2 metropolises so unique to each other. What differentiates these 2 versions?
Phở Bắc (Northern Phở - normally referred to Hanoi Phở)
Phở Nam (Southern Phở - normally referred to Saigon Phở)
Speaking of the broth, the Northern version has a clearer, lighter liquid while Southern people prefer it brown-colored, stronger in spices, and sweeter. The noodles used in Hanoi Pho tend to be flatter and wide while the Saigon version is a bit thicker and smaller like the size of ‘hủ tiếu’. The beef toppings are various in both places but it is fair to say that the Southern version offers more exotic cuts of meat than the Northern one. To name a few, we would say tripe, oxtail, meatball, tendon, etc. The condiments are another big difference between the two types. Northern Pho is not complete without a few Chinese breadsticks, homemade chili sauce, and pickled garlic. On the other hand, Saigonese would love their Pho to be served with a plate of veggies (basil, bean sprouts, mint…). Hoisin sauce is also Saigon’s specialty additive to Pho. This sauce makes Southern Pho even more characterized and unique.
6. Hanoi has the most yummy Pho dishes in Vietnam
The history of Phở noodle soup has set several controversial debates for years but has a close connection with Hanoi - where the dish became popular. It is safe to say that Hanoi is the capital of Phở, not just because you can find plenty of traditional Phở Bò eateries here, but also because you’ll witness how Phở diversifies with more tasty dishes you’d probably never tried before.
An authentic bowl of Hanoi Chicken Phở should embrace the free-range chicken meat and a touch of fragrant chopped lime leaves on top
The biggest competitor of Phở Bò in Hanoi must be Phở Gà. In the past, buffalo and cow slaughter was constrained due to its dominance in the rice industry. Therefore, the less consumption of Phở Bò (Beef Phở) made way for Phở Gà (Chicken Phở) to exist. Not strongly infused by the beef bone and spices, Phở Gà boasts a more delicate flavor and the meat, is chewier than you might think because Hanoians prefer free-range chicken. Until now, Phở Gà is still available as widely as Phở Bò, from small street food stalls to the dining restaurants. Besides the soup version, Phở Gà Trộn (dried Chicken Phở) is delicious as well. This dish is even recommended by the Michelin Guide in a local street food eatery – Phở Gà Nguyệt!
Even though Phở Bò is favored here, enjoying a bowl of hot noodle soup on a summer day when it’s scorching hot and humid outside will not be an appetite treat to many Hanoians. We guess you would feel that too! A local woman, Mrs.Chinh, then invented a new cold Pho dish that perfectly eased the hunger for noodles and beef, yet in a unique way. She put together the stir-fried beef, some cilantro, and lettuce inside the Phở noodles sheet and wrapped it into bite-sized rolls. That’s when Phở cuốn exists.
Phở cuốn is basically beef and lettuce wrapped in Phở noodle sheet
Instead of the hot boiling broth, the Phở Cuốn is served with a separate sweet and sour dipping sauce made of fish sauce and some pickles. Fresh, meaty, and healthy, this dish can be eaten in any season. Her dish surprisingly made sense and became Hanoi’s signature delicacy of Phở. Now, the streets on Pearl Island, featuring Ngũ Xã - just 3 km from Hoàn Kiếm Lake, are dedicated to the Phở Cuốn and other dishes from Phở noodles such as Phở Xào Bò (Stir-fried Pho noodle with beef and veggies), Phở Chiên Phồng (Deepfried Pillowy Pho), Phở Chiên Trứng (Deepfried Pho noodle with egg). If you are trying to look for Pho noodle soup in this area, you’d better give up because it’s definitely not the star of the show.
Phở Chiên Phồng is special for its pillow-shaped noodle
That "Phở pillow" is airy, crispy outside and created by putting small sheets of Bánh Phở together (like a puff pastry)
Phở is not a single dish as you might think, it is a broader range of dishes with different flavors, textures and stories about Vietnam. Come and visit this beautiful country to understand more deeply about local culture and start your mind-blowing Phở journey.
