Learn about the Flavorful Origins of PHO!
Phở, is a Vietnamese Noodle Soup.
But, how did this delicious dish gain its prominence across Vietnam, and then the world?
Let’s find out!
Intro to Pho:
Welcome to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, where Pho restaurants can literally be found everywhere. Hanoi is attributed to being the birthplace of Pho, but it is not actually invented here. It is invented 50 miles outside the city, in a village called Van Cu. Yet in these very streets, the very first permanent Pho stalls were created over 100 years ago.
Initial Thought:
But how did this dish beloved by the world come to be? Let’s find out!
Historical setup:
The ingredients used in Pho, and the name itself, can be traced back to both Chinese and French influences. It is speculated that in the 1860s… (link to below)
Noodle Information:
A particular type of rice noodles was invented in Southern China, Shahe Fen, which refers to its place of origin Shahe, in the province of Guangdong. These noodles are indistinguishable from Pho Noodles.
Migratory Chinese:
Its speculated that during this time, migratory workers from Southern China brought this unique style of noodle with them down the Red River into Tonkin, what we know today as Northern Vietnam. But this part of Vietnam was still controlled by China during this time.
This is why some theorized that the word “Pho”, descended from the word “Fun”, the shorthand for the “Sa Hor Fun” rice noodles, because they not only share meaning but also similar pronunciation.
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Sino-French War:
In 1885, The Sino French war resulted in a treaty between France and China. China allowed France to control Northern Vietnam, aka Tonkin ,This effective created French Indo China.
French Occupation:
When france occupied Vietnam, the brought with them, their desire for tender steak. Which can only be by slaughtering cows, which in Vietnamese traditions were only used as beast of burdens. The leftover bones and parts, are salvaged, and then sold by handful of Hanoi butchers.
Shahe Fen was then met with the sudden surge in beef consumption (phan to pho).
Pot Au Feu:
With the influx of French influence, some also argued that the word Pho is a corruption of the French word “feu” which means fire, and Pho could be a Vietnamese adaptation of the classic French dish ”pot au feu”, which the French surely brought to Vietnam when they came to rule the country: and its speculated the Vietnamese chef who made this for their colonial master borrowed techniques such as blackening root vegetables for a flavourful broth.
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Pho’s Fusion:
So, was Pho connected to the French? Yes, but no to extent that its completely French. The seasoning is the fusion of multiple cultures: Cardamom comes from India. Star anise, is native to southwest China when used in combination with Vietnamese fish sauce it gives pho its distinctive flavor.
Splitting of Vietnam:
And this dish continued to evolve, even in Vietnam. In 1954, the Communists were in power in the North, and people fled, and with them they brought their cherished Pho recipes into Southern Vietnam.
The Saigon ‘Style’:
Thus, the Saigon style of Pho was born. They were effectively breaking down the barriers of the more traditional North. By adding beansprouts, garnishing herbs on top, and using the sauce Hoisin.
Communism and War:
As the conflicts between North and South continued it manifested into the Vietnam War, which raged full scale from 1963 to 1973, and eventually ended in with the Fall of Saigon in 1975.
The North won, and with the communist in power, people again fled their homes, but this time to all corners of the world. And, once again cherished pho recipes migrated from their homeland. This is how this beloved dish became not only a national favourite, but also one of world’s most enjoyed dish that can be found in every corner of the world.
This is how Pho spread to all corners of the world.
Summary:
Like the country whose history is one of being intertwined by various cultures, and whose people must constantly adapt to survive, the dish has roots in multiple heritages yet retains a distinctive Vietnamese taste. A bowl of pho is more than mere sustenance; it is the expression of Vietnamese identity.
Final Thought:
So, here’s my food for thought:
Is it blasphemy to squirt sriracha and hoisin sauce to a bowl of Pho? Did their ever exist a pure version of Pho Would the creator of Pho condone it modern conception?
Cuisine has never been static, and the idea of authenticity is a constantly moving target. Often when food is referred to as inauthentic the proper follow up question may be, inauthentic to whom?
