Vietnamese food is full of delicate, spicy flavor profiles, and pho is one of the most iconic dishes of the cuisine. This soup is made with rice noodles, thinly sliced meats, fresh vegetables, and herbs, and it’s a nutritious dish that expertly blends the ingredients. Here’s some insight into the complex meal and how it has changed.

History

Pho was likely created during the 1880s in Nam Dinh. The French colonized these Northern areas, and the soup’s name originates from the French word feu, which means fire.

As people migrated to South Vietnam, they made pho nam, a heavily spiced soup with fresh herbs, cilantro, basil, and bean sprouts. The original recipes included a light, boiled bone broth with flat rice noodles and sliced beef or water buffalo. The Vietnamese cooked pho for their families and eventually opened small food shops on the street, relying on the local markets for fresh ingredients.

Vietnamese food was introduced to the world in 1975 when residents left the country after Saigon, the capital of Southern Vietnam, was liberated. Many people fled as refugees, moving to the U.S. and other countries. Their new homes didn’t have pho shops, so immigrants opened restaurants to serve the unique soup they missed.

Evolution

Today, you can find pho in eateries around the world that offer Vietnamese food. Restaurants serve the dish in pieces so that customers can make it the way they want. Diners add meat, garnishes, and noodles to the broth, combining the ingredients to their preferred portions.

Modern menus include varieties like pho bo, which has beef, pho ga, which includes chicken, and pho chay, which is vegetarian. Today’s soup still includes a delicate beef broth and traditional flat rice noodles, and you’ll likely find onions, carrots, tofu, and peppers in your bowl.

If you want to try this authentic dish, head to Pho’ Vietnam in Anchorage, AK. This eatery serves delicious Vietnamese food, including classic dishes, like pho with beef or chicken. View their full menu online, or call (907) 929-9938 to place a carryout order.