Growing up my parents mostly cooked only Cantonese cuisine, so a majority of my pho experience came from various Vietnamese restaurants around Chinatown and South Philly. Served in a gigantic bowl and usually costing less than $8 (if you are paying more than $10 for a bowl of pho something is very wrong), pho is and has become the everyday comfort food for many people. So when Eleanor Hoh at Wok Star tweeted that she wanted to host a pho post, I knew it was time to put down the chopsticks and bring out the stock pot. Yet, I didn’t want to make the tradition pho that I’ve become accustomed to in many Vietnamese restaurants. What I wanted to cook up is a Cambodian variation of pho I was introduced to a year ago.

This recipe comes from my friend’s mom, Mrs. Taing, who is Chinese but grew up in Cambodia. So I guess not only is this a Cambodian inspired version of pho but maybe also a Chinese twist on it? However it is label, it is good and something I’ve been meaning to try to cook. From eating a variety of pho and from the various traditional pho recipes I have read, the three main differences between the traditional Vietnamese pho and this variation are the seasonings in the broth and the addition of Chinese fried bread stick, called “yauh ja gwai” 油炸鬼 in Cantonese, that is placed on top of the noodles. Both pho broths start out with a mix beef bones, meat, and spices and later seasoned with fish sauce. In this variation, oyster sauce and sugar is added in the broth as well. The pho is then topped with cut up pieces of the fried bread stick right before serving.

As for the other toppings for the noodle, you can add a mixture of just about anything. Chicken organs, such as liver, hearts, and gizzard, are great on pho and so are beef tripe, brisket, and thin slices of both fatty and lean flank. Seafood such as shrimp and squid also makes good additions to the noodle. While you can be very liberal with the variety of toppings, when it comes to the noodle you must use banh pho, a specific cut of white rice noodle for pho. I like to use the one that are fresh, called banh pho tuoi and can be found in the open refrigerated noodle section.

While this recipe calls for both beef neck bone and oxtail for the broth, Mrs. Taing usually only uses oxtail. Oxtail can be pretty costly so I used a mixture of both bones. Although the neck bone did produce a flavorful broth, I would probably not use it next time and sub that with marrow bones instead. The neck bone turned the broth into a very deep brown color.

Mrs. Taing’s Family Pho
Serves 3 to 4 people


Ingredients:

Broth:
2 lbs oxtail
2½ lbs beef neck bone (If you can use all oxtail, I would suggest that instead. Another good alternative would be marrow bones. While the neck bone made a flavorful broth, it also made made it not as clear as I hope it would be.)
1 lb onion
1 lb carrot
1 oz / 28 grams ginger
5 cloves garlic
4 star anise
11 cups water
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tsp salt

Noodle & Topping:
Banh pho tuoi noodle
½ lb ground pork
12 large shrimps
½ lb beef flank
½ pack of fish balls
½ bulb of garlic
Cilantro
Thai basil
Bean sprouts
Limes
Chinese fried bread stick “yauh ja gwai”
Hoisin sauce (optional)
Sriracha (optional)

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water. When it starts to boil, add in the oxtail and neck bone. This process gets rid of all the impurities that are in the bone. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove all the bone to a colander and rinse with water. Place bones in a large stock pot.

Half the onions and then cut into quarters. Cut the carrots into large rolls. Smashed and peel the garlic. Cut ginger into large chunks.

Add the onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and star anise into the stock pot. Pour in the water.
Cook until the water comes to a boil and then turn down the heat to a very low simmer. Cook for at least 6 hours.

After 6 hours, let the broth cool down and place the pot into the fridge. Let it sit overnight.
By the next day, the fat from the broth should have risen to the top and is now a solid white layer. Remove the fat and heat up the broth.

When the broth is heated, remove all the vegetable and meat separately and set aside. You can discard the vegetables you like.

Pour the broth into a cheese cloth lined colander that’s placed on top of another pot.

Reheat the broth and seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, and salt.

Once the broth has been seasoned, add in the ground pork and fish ball. Cook until they are done and then turn the flame to low.

Shredded the meat that’s on the bone from the broth. You will be using this as one of the toppings for the noodle.

In a small sauce pan, placed chopped garlic and enough oil to slightly cover the garlic. Turn the flame to medium and stir continuously until the garlic are fried and golden brown. Set aside in a small bowl. This will be use to top noodle.

Place the cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, and limes on a plate. Set aside.

Heat up the Chinese fried dough stick in an oven until it is crispy and set aside.

In pot with water, cook the shrimp until they are done. Set aside.

Have your large serving bowls ready and start to cook the noodle.

In a large pot with water, heat it up until it boils and turn the flame to medium low. Place the fresh noodle, banh pho tuoi, in a strainer and into the pot. It should only take a few seconds to cook. Work in small batches. When the noodles are done, placed them in a serving bowl.

Place the cooked shrimp and shredded meat on each bowl.

Pour the hot broth into the noodles. Make sure each bowl has enough fish balls and ground pork.

Topped your noodle with the cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, a squeeze of lime, fried garlic, and Chinese fried dough stick right before eating.

Dip noodles into hoisin sauce or Sriracha if desired. Enjoy!