Vietnamese pho
Photo: Jason Lam · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Vietnamese pho arrived in OKC in 1975 when the first wave of refugees resettled after the fall of Saigon; by 1980 the state's Vietnamese population exceeded 6,000. NW 23rd Street developed into the Asian District, now home to over 30 restaurants. The pho follows southern Vietnamese style with a sweeter broth and garnishes of bean sprouts, basil, lime, and hoisin. The tight-knit community has preserved techniques that drifted elsewhere: overnight bone simmering with charred onion and ginger, toasted spices, and the precise fish sauce and rock sugar balance of a great bowl.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Fish

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 45 minTotal 780 minDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg beef marrow and knuckle bones
  • 500g beef brisket
  • 1 large onion, halved
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, halved lengthwise
  • 4 star anise
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp rock sugar or granulated sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 400g flat rice noodles (banh pho), prepared per package
  • 200g beef sirloin, sliced paper-thin against the grain
  • Garnish: bean sprouts, fresh Thai basil, lime wedges, sliced chili, hoisin, sriracha

Method

  1. Blanch bones in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain, rinse under cold water, and rinse the pot. Return bones to pot with 3 litres cold water and bring to a bare simmer. Char onion and ginger halves directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until lightly blackened, then add to the pot.
  2. Toast star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, 2 minutes. Tie in cheesecloth and add to the broth along with the brisket. Simmer very gently for at least 6 hours, skimming foam frequently in the first hour.
  3. Remove brisket after 2 to 3 hours when tender and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Broth should be deeply savory with a clean, clear appearance.
  4. To serve, cook rice noodles per package instructions, divide among bowls, and top with sliced cooked brisket and a few slices of raw sirloin. Ladle boiling broth over the raw beef immediately to cook it. Serve with garnishes on the side.

Tip from the editors. Keep the broth at a true simmer, never a rolling boil; boiling emulsifies fat into the liquid and makes it cloudy and greasy.

Where to eat vietnamese pho

Vietnamese pho in Oklahoma City

Grand House Asian Bistro ★ 4.3

$$ Chinese Dim SumAsian District

Grand House Asian Bistro on N Classen in Oklahoma City has served Cantonese dim sum and authentic Chinese cuisine for over 40 years on weekends.

Directions

Saii Asian Bistro ★ 3.8

$$ Pan-AsianWestern Avenue

Saii Asian Bistro on N May Avenue in Oklahoma City serves pan-Asian cuisine with Japanese, Thai, and Chinese dishes in a polished north OKC room.

Directions

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