Optional garnishes:

• 1 cup Asian/Thai basil leaves
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 pound bean sprouts
• 3 jalapeno peppers or red hot chilies, cut into rings
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

As most recipes go, feel free to substitute beef with chicken or extra vegetables to better adhere to your personal taste. The garnishes listed above are common in pho today, though they weren’t part of the traditional recipe and were only added during the 1970s when Vietnam refugees fleeing the country introduced pho to other parts of the world.

1. Combine beef broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon and peppercorns in a large soup pot. Bring all ingredients to a boil before reducing the heat and covering the pot. Let simmer on medium heat for one hour.

2. Arrange all garnishes and sauces on a platter with chilies or peppers.

3. Cook rice noodles in a separate pot on the stove for 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain these and place plain noodles into soup bowls (recipe serves six). Place raw beef on top of noodles and dish out hot broth/soup over each combination of noodles and beef. Add garnishes and sauces as desired.

The best part about this recipe? It’ll feed a full house for just a few dollars per serving. So toss out your old bags of Ramen or instant noodles, and set your standards higher with pho.

By: Rachel Davidson | Image: Source