Hmong Pho

13 Nov 2011 2 Comments

by haffah in Uncategorized

When I started to work at Cedar Lane Elementary I had never heard of Hmong people. I consider myself lucky to have met four wonderful friends that are Hmong. They pretty much took me as their own, invited me to family dinners and functions, made me feel like I belonged.

Hmong people immigrated to the US after the Vietnam war. They are huge communities in Northern California and Minnesota. As it was explained to me, Hmong people were mountain people who belonged to no country, they helped during the Vietnam war and therefor were refugees. I loved learning about their culture, attended their New Years, learned how to cook some of their food. When I was pregnant with Isabella I lived off Pho,  it is the best comfort food!!

There is really no trick to make Pho, other than get the right ingredient. Before I moved from California I went to my favorite Hmong market and stocked up on Pho Packets. I’ve seen many variation of the packets, some are paste but I just get what my friend said was best. It says GIA VI PHO BO – instant beef broth for Vietnamese noodle soup. You should be able to get it at a good Asian store. I took a picture of it so you guys could see.

 

What I do is I’ll boil water with sliced onions, 2 stalks of lemon grass and then add my packet. While that is coming to a boil I prep the veggies.

These veggies are not a necessity  but are really good to have with it.

• Cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Bean Sprouts
• Fried Onions
• Crushed Peanuts
• Mint
• Basil
• Lettuce
• Green Onions, cut up

Then there are the condiments:

• Oyster Sauce
• Fish sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
• Fried Garlic Chili Sauce
• White Pepper
• Sugar

You’ll need beef, you can use stir fry beef precut in strips or get like a small roast. You add the beef to the boiling soup until its cooked. Take it out and slice it in to thin strips. I just put it on a plate for people to take as they like.

The noodles are Rice noodles, you can use dry or fresh, I prefer the fresh ones and you get them at any good Asian store. The dried Rice noodles are easier to get a hold of, since a lot of grocery stores started to carry them. If you do get the dried noodles you need to soften them up. Just soak them in warm water for a little bit so they soften up.

Now you soup is boiling, you meat is ready and you have prepped all the veggies and put all the condiments on the table the FUN starts. Take a deep bowl, put as much amount of noodles you like in it, add the soup broth and meat.

The most interesting part about Pho that no soup is alike when you eat it!! because of all the add ins!!!! I like mine with all the veggies, a lot of lime (squeeze the juice in). The condiments are really up to you!! I like to add pretty much everything BUT THE FISH SAUCE!!! I don’t do fish at all!!!! ugh!!! and a lot of sugar!!!

GO EASY on the RED SAUCE it is soooo spicy!! it will make you nose run, best thing to do is to add a little bit at a time and taste the broth!!! We had this so many time that we have it down to a science. I like mine sweet, sour and a little bit spicy but Justin likes it a lot spicy.

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