Of course I haven't any recipes out here in Vietnam - you'll have to go to Rick Stein for those. But I do want to describe some of the wonderful things we have been eating. Of which the most delicous - or as they say - delicious so! - is pho. There are lots of variations on the soup with noodles theme and they all have different names. I can only say with some certainty that pho bao is the beef version. I think it should be easy to make it at home one day.
So:
So:
- a bowl of very tasty clear stock - they must make it with bones and it has very little fat
- in the bowl there are also rice noodles - quite a lot
- also bean sprouts added at the last minute plus a little sliced garlic
- on top of the noodle pile and therefore just above the liquid, a small handful of cooked sliced beef - just tiny strips
- on the table, a large plate of fresh herbs: coriander, thai basil, lettuce, maybe chives - all in hefty bunches, nothing dainty or chopped about these
- plus some tiny quarters of tiny limes.
Now slurp the noodles, squeezing in some lime, adding herbs and lettuce as you go, putting in some chilli sauce if you like, eating the soup itself with a spoon or simply lifting the bowl to drink it.
Delicious so!
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