A Traditional Pho Soup Made Even Better

The Vietnamese Pho is, despite it looks as a light soup, a filling, soothing, savoury and aromatic meal.  Its base as a beef bone stock with thinly sliced beef (but other meats can be used) with rice noodles is traditional.  But low-carb or vegetable-based noodles can also be used without compromising the flavours.  

One essential element is using a real bone broth - and if making a grass-fed (so important) bone broth at home is not for you we suggest using the 48-50 hour slow-cooked Best of the Bone broth.  A beef bone broth concentrate that is not a powder but a genuine marrow-rich broth simply cooked down with the gelatine and blended into a thick base.  Add water and you have a lovely, rich broth base.

Pho is traditionally thought of as a healing, immune-boosting soup.  Adding a real bone broth ensures its so.  Grass-fed broth is one of the most nutrient dense foods for brain and body delivering a complete bioavailable protein, a full amino acid complex, bioavailable heme iron and other minerals and when using a slow-cooked broth be prepared for a richer soup thanks to the rich fats (in this case both EPA and DHA omega 3 essential fatty acids).  Yes, bone broth actually delivers good fats.  According to a University of Michigan study fat tissue in bone marrow is a significant source of the hormone adiponectin, which helps maintain insulin sensitivity, break down fat, and has been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity-associated cancers.

Now, to that aromatic Pho.  

• Place the stock in a large saucepan with the ginger, onion, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, fish sauce and 1L (4 cups) water. Bring to low boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Traditionally you would strain, discarding solids, but not a necessity.
• Cook noodles according to the instructions.  Drain.
• Serve dividing flat noodles among your bowls; top with the beef (or pork or chicken) I sometimes will sizzle the sliced beef for 20-30 seconds on high heat. Ladle over the hot stock, then top with the chilli, bean sprouts, basil, mint, coriander and spring onions.  Oh my.  

Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 Heap Tablespoon of Best of the Bone (or try Best of the Bone with organic turmeric-ginger-black pepper) with 1 litre (4 cups) warm water.
• 4-6cm piece of ginger, halved
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 star anise
• 2 cinnamon quills, lightly crushed
• 80ml fish sauce
• 350g flat rice noodles or can be substituted with a low-carb Japanese shirataki noodle or a veggie noodle (changes the flavour a bit).
• 350g beef fillet, thinly sliced (it will cook in the broth and add flavour)
• 2 long red and/or green chillies, sliced
• 125g bean sprouts
• Basil, mint and coriander leaves
• 4-6 spring onions, thinly sliced