In its most simplest form, pho is a mix of rice noodles, broth, a small portion of meat, and select additional ingredients. The story of how the Vietnamese-based dish though is so much more than simply what’s in it. As pho continues to gain popularity in North America, we thought we’d shine a light on not only the ingredients used to make it but the story behind it.

Pho is originally thought to have come from northern Vietnam, through a mix of French, Chinese, and Vietnamese cultures. In the early 1900s, the French occupied Vietnam and with this occupation, beef was commonly used in pho dishes. That’s because the French had an affinity for beef, making requests on the regular to have it incorporated into traditional dishes like pho. Prior to the French occupation, cattle in Vietnam were used only for livestock rather than for eating. Also, in this time, being so close to the Chinese border a lot of street vendors in Vietnam were in fact Chinese. Thereby, these three cultures were at the centre of how pho came to be.

Read more: What is in Pho?

Are you craving something a little different tonight for dinner – maybe you want to try something from an ethnic cuisine you’re not so familiar with. In the last half-century, ethnic cuisines have gained popularity in North America. Throughout this process, a lot of cuisines like Chinese and Indian have been “Americanized”, mixing in new influences that at times may take away from the health benefits associated with some of these foods. If you’re looking for healthy, ethnic cuisine, here’s a quick countdown of the top 5 healthiest cuisines by ethnic background and in no particular order.

Vietnamese cuisine

Read more: See the Top 5 Healthiest Cuisines by Ethnic Background

Vietnamese cooking in Canada has been on the rise since the 1970s. For those who have tried pho and similar Vietnamese dishes, you know how delightfully tasty it can be. For those that are new to Vietnamese foods, ingredients, cooking methods, and nutritional benefits, allow us to provide an introduction. Here are 4 reasons why Vietnamese cooking is loved by Canadians far and wide.

Vietnamese food is unique.

Vietnamese cuisine is similar and yet, completely unique from similar southeast Asian culture cooking. Vietnamese foods generally utilize very clean flavours and similar ingredients but they’re worked a little differently. You’ll never find a Vietnamese dish that’s overly rich, spicy, or sweet. You won’t find Indian curry-inspired classics or coconut milk-based savoury Thai dishes here. Vietnamese cooking does not use very many dry spices. Instead, in this cuisine, it’s the natural flavours of the food are emphasized.

Read more: 4 Reasons why Vietnamese Cooking is Praised and Loved by Canadians

 Across Canada, Vietnamese food has not been as well publicized as other Asian food types like Chinese. Although similar to Chinese food, Vietnamese dishes have subtle differences. Comparatively, Vietnamese food is spiced different with unique herbs that give it a Vietnam-specific flavor and the vegetables used are also prepared a little differently.

 For many Canadians, they may know soy sauce as a common part of Chinese food and food from various Asian countries. In Vietnamese, soy sauce is not used so much. Instead, it’s a fish sauce referred to as ‘nuoc mam’ that’s equally common. Surrounding Vietnam, seafood is plentiful with lobster, crabs, shrimp, and fish readily available.

Read more: What is Vietnamese Cuisine

 Vietnamese cooking utilizes a wide variety of different ingredients and herbs to create unique flavor profiles. These are some of the most common ingredients used in Vietnamese cuisine and many of the exquisite Vietnamese dishes popularized in Canada, such as pho.

 Anise

 Anise comes from a plant that produces its own unique aroma. Anise on its own produces a sweetish taste that has made it popular among certain Vietnamese dishes. Anise, or aniseed, is used in several pastries as well as meat and vegetable-based meals.

Read more: What are the Most Common Ingredients in Vietnamese Cuisine

 Pho is a diverse Vietnamese dish that can be made in a number of different ways. If this is your first time preparing pho on your own at home, you’re not alone. Although it looks easy enough to make, people from all over the world are finding out there’s more than meets the eye. So home cooks prepare! We’re about to give you a crash course on how to make pho like a professional.

 Pho, in its standard and traditional Vietnamese form, is made from broth, rice noodles, select herbs, and meat. Usually, the meat used is a beef or chicken however in today’s vegan- and vegetarian-friendly world, it’s easy to substitute veggie-based meat sources in their place. In Vietnam, pho is an extremely common form of street food – akin to how we perceive hot dogs here in North America. In the past few decades, as more Vietnamese have immigrated to Canada and the United States, several Vietnamese and pho-specific restaurants have opened. 

Read more: How to Make Pho like a Professional