Brian Jeffrey
Unique Cham Pho from An Giang
In An Giang, the Cham ethnic minority prepares a distinctive version of beef noodle soup known as pho bo.
The Cham community sources their beef exclusively from within their population. They create the broth by simmering various bones with a blend of rock sugar, spices, and herbs.
Ro Fi Ah, a 34-year-old Cham woman and pho restaurant owner in Chau Doc, shared that the local Cham Muslims do not consume pork but do eat buffalo and beef, while observing fasting during Ramadan.
The culinary practices in this area are deeply influenced by religious principles, which shape the dish’s preparation.
According to Ro Fi Ah, the key to her delicious pho is sourcing beef from cows that are grass-fed or free-range. The natural grazing results in meat that is both firmer and aromatic.
“Cham people only purchase beef that is butchered and sold by fellow Cham,” she clarified. “Some vendors may pump water into the meat to increase weight, negatively impacting quality; thus, I prefer buying and preparing my meat from free-range cows nearby,” she explained.
To achieve a rich and sweet broth, she simmers various types of bones for around 15 hours to extract all the nutrients.
Her secret mix of ingredients includes onions, scallions, roasted garlic, ginger, galangal, coriander root, sugarcane, and cardamom, all gently fried to release their aromatic flavors.
A pinch of salt and rock sugar is added to meet the Cham palate’s taste preferences.
Ro Fi Ah mentioned that there are variations in the Cham pho, allowing for slight modifications to cater to different tastes.
She combines different cuts of beef such as brisket, chuck, and front thigh, adjusting cooking times to ensure optimal tenderness.
For dishes with eye-round steak, she prefers using filet or hind thigh for a tender and flavorful result.
“Dishes in Cham cuisine, especially our beef noodle soup, primarily combine local ingredients like beef, rock sugar, and common spices such as onion and garlic,” she stated.
Thai Lam, a local customer, expressed his preference for Ro Fi Ah’s pho due to its remarkable flavor. He particularly enjoys the special pho that comes with various meats, priced at VND50,000 per bowl.
The hallmark of Cham pho is its generous servings, abundant toppings, and a sweet, fragrant broth enriched with rock sugar and herbs.
In contrast to many pho establishments in Hanoi that serve a clear broth, a Michelin-recommended restaurant on Au Trieu street offers a rich, cloudy broth made by boiling cow bones for 24 hours.
This restaurant was selected by a Filipino couple, Ralph and Sam, during their recent trip to Vietnam. They ordered two bowls of pho with eye-round steak and a portion of fried dough, totaling VND140,000.
Sam remarked on the dish’s presentation, noting how the rare meat was expertly prepared by mincing and spreading it over the noodles, topped off by pouring hot broth over it.
She was pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of the beef, which came in large yet thin slices, complementing the silky noodles and rich broth. Ralph praised the entire experience, repeatedly expressing delight at how appetizing everything looked.
According to Ngo Thi Phi Nga, the 65-year-old owner of another pho restaurant, she opts not to use cinnamon or star anise, instead choosing quality fish sauce and grilled ginger for seasoning.
