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Pho cuon
Phở cuốn: soft pho-noodle sheets rolled round garlicky beef and herbs
On Ngũ Xã, a little island of streets between Trúc Bạch lake and West Lake in Hanoi, whole rows of restaurants sell nothing but pho in different shapes, and phở cuốn is the one people order by the plateful in the evening. Instead of cutting the fresh rice-noodle sheet into ribbons, the cooks leave it whole and roll it round seared beef, lettuce and herbs. The rolls are soft, cool and slightly chewy, and you dip them in a light, sweet fish sauce with pickled carrot. Look for fresh rice-noodle sheets in the chiller of an Asian supermarket, often sold for Chinese ho fun. Chef's tip: if the sheets are stiff from the fridge, steam or microwave them for 30 seconds under a damp cloth before separating, or they tear.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the beef
For the rolls
For the dipping sauce
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Toss 1 carrot with 2 tbsp rice vinegar and a pinch of the ¼ tbsp sugar and leave to quick-pickle for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Stir the rest of 1 ¾ tbsp sugar into 8 tbsp warm water until dissolved, then add 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice and 1 red chilli. Drain the carrot and add it to the sauce.
Step 3: Mix 12 ½ oz beef sirloin or rump steak with half the 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Leave for 10 minutes while you prepare the herbs.
10 minStep 4: Wash and dry 12 soft lettuce leaves, ⅔ oz coriander, ⅔ oz mint and ½ oz Thai basil and set them out next to a clean board.
Step 5: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat until it shimmers. Add the rest of 2 cloves garlic and stir for 15 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
Step 6: Add the beef in a single layer and leave it for 30 seconds, then toss for 1–2 minutes until browned all over with no red juices left. Common mistake: tipping in all the beef at once in a small pan makes it stew in grey liquid; cook it in two batches if your wok is small.
3 minStep 7: Spoon the beef into a bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes so it doesn't make the noodle sheets soggy.
5 minStep 8: Warm 1 ⅛ lb fresh rice-noodle sheets under a damp cloth in the microwave for 30 seconds, or over a steamer for 1 minute, until soft and pliable. Peel them apart gently.
1 minStep 9: Lay a sheet on the board, put a piece of lettuce, a few herbs and a spoonful of beef along the near edge, and roll it up firmly. The sheet sticks to itself, so no sealing is needed.
Step 10: Repeat with the rest, arrange the rolls seam-side down on a plate and serve with the dipping sauce straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pho cuon take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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