Heavenly Pho Vietnamese Cuisine

In Vietnamese dishes, herbs are usually not simmered or cooked with other aromatics as they are in Western and even other Asian cuisines. Instead, dishes are piled high at the table with fresh cilantro leaves, mint leaves or minced lemongrass. Vegetables play a crucial role. No meal is complete without a platter of cucumbers, peppers, bean sprouts, boy choy and other greens.
In general, Vietnamese food is vegetable-heavy — which is why it's a great choice for healthy lifestyles. In 90 percent of Western dishes, the aromatic base is a chopped onion and maybe some minced garlic. In Vietnamese cuisine, the base is most often a combination of lime juice, garlic, banging-hot chiles and grated palm sugar, a coarse sugar that's like our brown sugar. Vietnamese food is thus a combo of sweet and spicy. Fresh herbs, lots of vegetables and seafood, and cooking techniques that use water or broth instead of oils -- these are some of the standout qualities of Vietnamese food. One of the healthiest and most delicious Vietnamese dishes is pho (pronounced "fuh"), an aromatic, broth-based noodle soup full of antioxidant-packed spices.
Phở is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meats. It is a popular street food in Vietnam and the specialty of many restaurants around the world. Phở is served in a bowl with a specific cut of white rice noodles in clear beef broth, with slim cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket). Variations feature tendon, tripe, or meatballs. Chicken Phở is made using the same spices as beef. Phở typically served with lots of greens, herbs, vegetables, and various other accompaniments, such as dipping sauces, hot and spicy pastes, and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice; it may also be served with hoisin sauce. The dish is garnished with ingredients such as green onions, white onions, fresh chili peppers, lemon or lime edges, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Fish sauce, hoisin sauce and chili sauce may be added to taste as accompaniments.