Pho (à la moi)

For the past 1 month, i made 2 times this noodle soup from Vietnam. After i made the first one, where i took this picture from, i remember that i had a heavy fight with Mr. Gorilla my plongeur, because of perception differences. He, who had been to Vietnam and ate this soup in the original country, wanted me to cook the beef just like they do it in Hanoy, while i just wanted to follow the recipes (i followed 2 recipes from the net). Gorilla told me that in Hanoy, just before they serve the pho, they soak the beef around a couple of seconds in the stock, that way the beef is not really too cooked, while the two recipes that i followed are just placing the raw beef in the big bowl, together with the noodle, then pour the hot beef stock into the bowl. That way, the beef is hardly done and keep the juicy natural beef taste. I wanted to do the recipes' way, while he wanted to do the Hanoy way. Thus, we sweated over this small thing, which put us in several hours of cold war, and it went until the following evening (because in the morning we work, and our wake up time is not the same, hehe - i woke up later than him).

The reason of fighting over small things was because we both was tired that evening after long working hours, and i asked (or ordered?!) him to cut thinly the beef (faux fillet), which requires patience. He got so pissed with the idea of slicing it thinly, but he did it anyway, and then our tonation when we talked was inacceptable from each other's point of view, thus it is quite annoying.

So the first pho caused a war... which stimulated me to do the second, just by curiosity, if the second will create war as well. I mean, the first pho incident annoyed me really, as pho is one of my favorite food, i mean, i cannot let pho spirit dies in my kitchen, if making it will cause battle between me and the other half each time.

Well, nothing so special about the second one, i followed his command, and no beef cutting scene before cooking, because i bought sliced beef destined to make carpaccio (Italian cuisine, thin raw beef thing), so we both ended very happy and satisfy with our dinner.

Pho (Instant, my way)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs chinese five perfumes seasonings (a mixed of cilantro roots, fennel, anise, cinnamon, dark pepper, cloves)
• 4 litter beef stock ( or add 3liter of water + 1 or 2 blocks of beef stock)
• 2 star anises
• 2 tps ginger powder
• 2-3 tbs fish sauce
• 400 gr beef, very thinly sliced – use tenderloin / steak thing (tips, you can use carpaccio cut beef)
• 1 grilled onion (devide 1 onion by four before grilling)
• 2 chopped scallions

Other Ingredient:

• Thick Rice Noodles, follow the preparation suggestion on the package

(more than just) Garnitures:

• cilantro
• bean sprouts, soaked in warm water
• 1 thinly sliced onion
• sliced chilies.

Directions:

1. In a big pot, boil all together the ingredients, except the scallions, should be add in the last minute.
2. Prepare the garnitures and noodles in big bowl.
3. Drop some of the beef slices in the hot pot, quickly take it out, and put it in the noodle bowl. Add the beef stock as much as you like.

Source of inspiration is from this site (if you can speak French).