Pho is becoming popular every day. As a Vietnamese I love it and am very proud at the same time.
For this reason, when someone makes an assertion about pho that's not quite true or correct, I welcomethe opportunityto help rectify, share, and educate in hope to keep pho'sintegrity and authenticity at least somewhat intact.
Here's an example. Reader Arunwrote in the conversation about What Is Real, Authentic Pho?:
I would say in order to be called pho it should have cinnamon, coriander, fennel, cloves, and or star anise. Anything else without that is hu tieu.
Spices used on making pho broth: star anise, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, cardamom, cloves
It's not clear about Arun'suse of the conjunctions "and" and "or" and what he/sheactuallymeans by this statement. There actually are 2 different issues in these sentences, one is whether pho musthave ALL the spices mentioned, and two is thementioning of hu tieu.Here's my answer to Arun's interesting post.
@Arun: Thanks for leaving your opinion. Here’s the reality that many non-Vietnamese (and even some new generation Vietnamese) do not realize and/or understand. It’s not that cut and dry to attempt to define pho in such a narrow definition, and it’s not fair for pho to be put inside such a sharp and narrow boundary.
In order to understand food in general and pho in particular, there is a better perspective to consider. Here’s what I’m talking about.
I can go to In-N-Out Burgers and order a burger. Or I can go to Five Guys and order a burger. Or I can also go to a local high-end joint and enjoy a gourmet burger. Or I can go to a popular bar across the street and enjoy a burger. I think it’s safe to say that no one woulddebate whether each place serves burger or not, or whether they mean it’s beef burger they serve. Of course there are some exceptions but I think you get my point.
When my family and many others arrived in the U.S. in the late 1970s, we made pho at home that didn’t really have all necessary ingredients. But I can assure you that what we made using only what we could find in the U.S. at that time was 100% pho. This is because we knew what pho was supposed to be and with the limited ingredients that were available, we chose only the right ingredients so we could make pho from them. So it’s a lot more than just following a list of ingredients with a narrow definition. It’s more about how you understand the food itself.
Hu tieu is another story entirely and has completely different flavorprofile. The only common ingredients are the banh pho noodle and maybe green onions and cilantro for garnishing. You can’t just change a few spices in pho, or not use them at all (as you seem to imply) and get hu tieu out of it. I don’t think it works that way.
For those wanting to know more about hu tieu, check out this post calledHu Tieu or Hủ Tiếu - Paying Respect to Pho’s Cousin.
I havemade pho with only 2 or 3 of the spices mentioned, and I know of many people who have as well. With some adjustment made totherecipe, one can creategreat tasting pho, and no one will know what's missing. Depending on how you do it, most people can get by usingjust star anises, cinnamon sticks, and maybe one or 2 of the remaining spices.
So have you made great pho with less than the 5 spices? Sharein the comments below.
Pho Restaurant Business articles:
For more tips and information, read the complete series on how to open and operate your own pho restaurant.
- How to Open a Pho Restaurant.
- What Makes a Great Pho Restaurant?
- What You Need to Open a Pho Restaurant-The Starting Point.
- Tips For Your New Pho Restaurant’s Front and Back of the House.
- Designing Your Pho Restaurant: Hidden Secret of a Good Pho Restaurant Floor Plan.
- Controlling Food Costs of Your New Pho Restaurant.
- Hiring a Pho Chef For Your Pho Restaurant.
- Beef Pho, Chicken Pho, Men, Women: A Complex Relationship.
- Up-Sell Specialist – Would This Work in a Pho Restaurant?
- Secrets To Making And Serving Great Pho In Your Restaurant.
- How Much Does It Cost To Build And Open A Pho Restaurant?
- Pho Restaurant Customer Satisfaction and Complaints.
- Half Off Pho – Why 50% Off Are Not Such Good Pho Deals.
- What Is Real, Authentic Pho?
- Secret Ingredients For Pho: Revealed
- Pho Restaurant Business Plan, Part 1: What Is It Anyway?
- Pho Restaurant Business Plan, Part 2: What’s Sexy About It?
- Pho Restaurant Business Plan, Part 3: The Nuts and Bolts
- Customer to Pho Restaurant: These 5 Things Can Hurt Your Business
- Signs That a Pho Restaurant Is in the Process of Failing
- Hey, What’s the Cost of That Bowl of Pho?
- How Long To Cook Pho Spices In Pho Broth
- 5 Ways A Pho Restaurant Can Beat The Competition
- What’s Your Pho Type, Beef Pho, Chicken Pho or Vegan Pho?
- Online Coupons and Offers – What’s In It For Pho Restaurants?
- What Pho Restaurateurs Can Learn From This Poll
- 3 Reasons Why You Need An Architect For A New Pho Restaurant
- On Pho Restaurant Quality And Service, And Pho 79 Revisited
- What Pho Restaurant Experience Causes You To Never Come Back?
- Selling Pho Secrets – With A Catch
- A Conversation With Pho Restaurant Architect Quynh Tran
- Anatomy Of A Solid Pho Restaurant Business Plan – Part 4
- How To Design, Build and Operate Vietnamese Pho Restaurants
- Pho Eater Behaviors – What Pho Restaurants Can Learn From These Polls
- Importance Of A Well Developed Pho Restaurant Concept
- Will You Eat Pho With MSG? A Pho Poll Result
- 5 Important Lessons For Pho Restaurant Startups
- Best Practice Inventory System For Pho Restaurant Profit, Part 1
- Inventory System For Pho Restaurant, Part 2: Key Characteristics
- Tips To Lower Startup Cost To Open A Pho Restaurant
- Design, Build and Open Vietnamese Pho Restaurant
- Wall Mural: Saigon Pho Restaurant
- Four Signs That A New Pho Restaurant May Not Make It
- Location, Location, Location: Myths and Facts For Pho Restaurants
- Prime Cost And Why Keeping It Under Control Is Critical To A Pho Restaurant’s Survival
- I’m 1 Month Out From Opening My First Small Restaurant
- Inventory System Part 3: What Would You Categorize These Items as?
- Pho Restaurant Kitchen Efficiency: What It Means And How To Achieve It
- Ways To Store Large Quantity Of Pho Broth When You Made Too Much Of It
- Quick Cook Banh Pho Noodle
- Designing Pho Service And Final Plating/Expediting Floor Plan
- Improving the Pho Menu For Mainstream Appeal
