The delicious Pho is an identifier of Vietnamese cuisine. Everyone in the USA must have heard about Pho, but there might be few who are yet to try Pho and fall in love with its taste and texture.
Pho is a noodle soup with various types like chicken pho, beef pho, pork pho, etc. If you are a Pho lover from Tampa, Florida, you might have searched about “pho noodle soup chicken in Tampa, Florida” or “chicken pho noodle bowl in Tampa, Florida.” But if you are not, then you have to rely on the blogs that pop up in your browser when you search for “chicken pho noodle bowl in Tampa, Florida.”
A brief history of Pho
Pho has originated in the northern part of Vietnam in the 1900s while under French Indochina. Traditionally Pho is a dish that consists of broth and noodles or rice. Broth and stock can be made using various meat like chicken, pork, vegetables, etc.
The fun fact here is that before the French arrival in Vietnam, the Vietnamese preferred to consume water buffalo meat. There are different variations to the traditional pho that originated from northern Vietnam. The southern part of Vietnam has its pho variation, and it has the touch of southern Vietnam.
The Vietnamese noodles are rice, and people mostly judge the noodles to check the Pho’s quality. But the pros check the broth’s consistency and taste to determine the quality of the pho.
Health Benefits of eating pho
1.Good for strengthening your joints
Pho is highly nutritious, and it is suitable for strengthening your joints. You can slurp the bone marrow from the meat broth for good joint health. It lessens the joints’ pain and adds a good amount of protein to your body.
2. Gluten-free
Pho is a gluten-free food, though if you add some ingredients, it might not remain gluten-free. If you are looking to cut your gluten intake, then you should have pho at least once a day.
3. Anti-allergic
A lot of fresh herbs and vegetables are used while making pho. Some of the ingredients like turmeric and ginger with anti-inflammatory properties help you fight a lot of allergies and bacteria.
4. Promotes dental health
Pho is ambrosia for people who suffer from severe cases of rotten teeth. The meat broth is rich in minerals, fiber, protein, and collagen. These are very good for your dental health. In case you have poor dental health because of a lack of minerals, you should eat pho at least once a week to remineralize your teeth.
5. It helps you get rid of the hangover.s
People often go clubbing and house parties to spend some quality time with their friends during the weekend. Though the time, food, and drinks are all worth it, the hangover the next day is not.
Pho helps in quickly getting rid of the hangover. It is one of the best medicines to cure hangovers.
The Most Popular Types of Pho
1. Hanoi Style Pho
The traditional Pho from Hanoi is considered the most sophisticated pho dish to order. The Hanoi style pho has originated from the northern parts of Vietnam. The Hanoi style pho is thinly veiled with oil to give it a silky texture. The side dishes of pho include lime, bean sprouts, and chilies.
2. Pho Bo
Pho Bo is one of the best foods for beef lovers. Every component except the rice noodles has beef in it. The broth is made using beef bones, tail, and neck, whereas the toppings include thinly sliced fatty brisket, steak, cooked, and raw beef. Fresh cilantro leaves, cardamom, and cloves are used for garnishing.
3. Pho Ga
Pho Ga, commonly known as pho chicken noodle soup, is one of the USA’s popular pho dishes. It is further divided into Binh thoung (standard), consisting of dark meat, breast meat, etc., or Ga Nac (lean chicken), consisting of thinly sliced breast meat.
Pho ga is lighter than Pho bo as it has a less fat content.
4. Pho Cuon
Pho Cuan might surprise many people as it is not a traditional pho that one expects to get at a pho restaurant. Pho Cuan is a Pho roll, where rice noodle is used as a wrapping paper. Pho Cuan’s stuffings include stir-fried beef, ginger, onions, and herbs like mint and cilantro.
Pho Cuan is served with a dip combined with fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, and chilies.
All pho noodle soups are not for meat lovers. Many pho noodle soups have tofu, cheese, or vegetable stock. Vietnamese cuisine is a healthy and tasty cuisine that caters to all non-vegetarians, vegetarians, and vegans.