Pho, need I say more?

I cant believe we're already well into August!  I feel like summer barely just started and now fall is quickly making it's way in.  I'm not really complaining though, autumn is my favorite time of the year.  But I'll save my rants of autumn once we actually hit autumn.

This weekend was a good weekend.  It was Nhat's first weekend off in a while so we had plans to do a lot of things like go to the beach or take a drive to the Vietnamese district about 50 minutes away, but instead we just stayed in, rented a total of three movies and went out to eat.  The highlight of my weekend was on Sunday, when Nhat requested Pho.

Now Pho holds a very special place in my heart.  It is one of those dishes where since learning how to make it, it has made me feel as if my life, since I've moved away, has not been a complete waste.
I think why pho is so special to me, as it probably is to many other people, is because when I think of pho, I think of my family.  I think of my parents working in the kitchen to perfect their broth, and I think of my family sitting together, slurping the broth, and enjoying the addicting flavors of our culture.  So I'm happy that my first food post on this blog is Pho.

I've made pho three times and each time I'm learning more and more of how to make it better.  This  time, my efforts has been my proudest.   Pho is actually very simple to make, it is just a matter of combining the right combination of spices, sugar, and salt to get the perfect broth to suit your taste buds. Although I'm happy with my Pho broth, I'm actually still working on it to make it even better, so no recipe yet.  But I have posted pictures on how I enjoy my Pho!

Spices- the right combination and amount of spices is crucial in the broth!

 

 Plate of herbs to is essential: Basil (preferrably Thai, but another will work also, we had Sweet Basil), Saw Tooth Herb (also called culantro or Ngo Gai), beansprouts (I'm not a fan, so I don't buy it), limes.

 About one onion thinly sliced then soaked in vinegar.  Chop up some cilantro and add to the onion mixture, you can also add scallions but I didn't.  This adds great texture and DELICIOUS tangy crunch to the Pho.

About 1 T of Hoisin Sauce and 1/2 T of Sriracha Chili Sauce to dip the pieces of beef.  To me, this is essential.

One of the best things about Pho is that you usually always make enough to have it a second day. =)