Pho or Phở is a Vietnamese rice noodle or soup, consisting of broth (made from pig/beef bones), herbs, beef, rice noodles and sometimes chicken or pork. Commonly eaten pho are phở bò (beef pho), phở heo (pork pho), phở gà (chicken pho) and etc. In Vietnam, pho is a popular breakfast meal because of its nutritional value and it's also pretty cheap. Pho is served in many Vietnamese restaurants from around the world. And fun facts, pho is actually considered to some to be a fast food in Vietnam.
In the early 20th century, Pho originated in the northern part of Vietnam. But due to the poorly documented Pho's origins, some experts suggest that the name "Pho" may have originated from the French during the French occupation of Vietnam. After the Vietnam War or the Civil War, pho was popularized throughout the world by Vietnamese refugees. But the version that was popularized by the refugees was the Southern version of pho, there are many types of pho throughout Vietnam. The differences are usually the width of the noodle and the broth sweetness. The Northern version tends to have a flat square shaped noodle, while the Southern one has a thin string like noodle which is the shape that people commonly associated with noodle.
Common way to eat Pho from a Vietnamese perspective:
- Like most noodle, you will eat it using chopsticks to grab the noodles and spoon to take a sip of the broth.
- Vietnamese like to add herbs, spicy peppers, hot sauce (sometimes), pho sauce (or black sauce), soy sauce and lemons to add a sour taste.
- Vietnamese tends to drink warm or cold tea once they are finished with their bowl of Pho.
History:
In Vietnam:
The history of phở begins at the end of the 19th century, at the peak of French colonialism. French demand led to a greater availability of beef in Vietnam. This in turn produced a surplus of beef bones, which were used by Chinese and Vietnamese vendors to deepen and perfect the flavors of the broth. The popularity of pho spread southwards starting in 1954 when the country was divided into two opposite sides: North and South Vietnam. As people from the North migrated to the South along with the dish, the cooking style has also changed.
In North America:
In the Spring of 1975, during the fall of Saigon refugees fleeing Vietnam brought with them their hopes and dreams of a better life. They also brought their cultures and cuisine, of which pho has become the most popular among Americans. Today there are almost 8900 pho restaurants spread across the United States and Canada. This led to the popularity of Pho rising in North America.