The leader of the ASEAN Ladies Circle (ALC) Philippines shared that she had watched pho cooking videos and tried to make it many times but could not be as delicious as an authentic bowl of Vietnamese pho.

A Malaysian visitor enjoys Vietnamese traditional pho in a 2016 cuisine week featuring Vietnamese food in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: VNA

On May 27, the spouses of officials and female staff of the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Ladies Circle (ALC) in meet to discuss their different cultures and ideas.

At the event, the ALC Vietnam team introduced the Vietnam's culinary specialties such as pho bo (beef noodle soup), nem ran (fried spring rolls) and nem cuon (fresh spring rolls) and received enthusiastic response and compliments from regional friends. In particular, pho always makes an impression on the invited guests.

VNA quoted Maria Victoria H.Josse, team leader of ALC Philippines, sharing that she had watched a lot of pho cooking videos on YouTube channel and tried to make it many times but could not be as delicious as the pho bowl she enjoyed at this event. She said her family also loves Vietnamese pho.

A bowl of “pho” contains flat, soft rice noodles dipped in a fragrant beef or chicken broth flavored with different condiments. It is served with beef or chicken, shallots, and chili and lime to taste.

Meanwhile, when asked about her favorite Vietnamese dish, Kiki Hermono, leader of ALC Indonesia, didn't think twice and immediately confirmed it was pho.

She shared that a Vietnamese friend taught her to cook pho and she also watched many Vietnamese cooking channels, but she never found enough ingredients as required and could not cook as well as this pho bowl at the event.

ASEAN friends all said that pho is a sophisticated but delicious dish thanks to the perfect combination of all ingredients. They all have in common that they love pho and try to cook it.

Nonee Rahim of ALC Singapore said that she often goes to Vietnamese restaurants across Malaysia to enjoy pho.

Short films featuring the history, culture and tourist destinations in Vietnam were also screened on this occasion.

Khuat Thi Hong Hanh, spouse of Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Viet Thai and head of the ALC Vietnam, spoke highly of solidarity and mutual support of the ALC amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ASEAN Ladies Circle brings together wives of diplomats of ASEAN nations along with female staff members of the Foreign Ministry and representative agencies of regional countries in the host country.

The circle will act as a friendship and cooperation bridge linking women in ASEAN as well as between ASEAN with other countries around the world. Its operations will create opportunities for regional women to share information and experiences and promote gender equality and the role of female diplomats.

It can be said that Pho is a representative and typical dish of Vietnamese cuisine. From ingredients like roasted ginger, fennel seed, star anise, and cinnamon for the simmered stock, the broth serves as the foundation for aromas and tastes for every palate.

Traditionally, "Pho" is a breakfast dish sold in street food stalls but pho consumption has moved into everyday comfort food. Today, pho is eaten worldwide in countless variations such as pho tron (dry pho), pho ga (chicken pho), pho cuon (pho rolls) and many more.

It can be found all over the country though it originated in the north before being taken to the south, where people have added their own influences to the dish.

Pho has been getting rave reviews from global travel magazines for decades, and no visitor to Vietnam fails to mention it.

Today, beef pho remains the most beloved version in Vietnam, with options that include the original raw beef, a mix of raw and cooked beef, brisket and tendon.

Nem ran is a harmonious mixture of many ingredients like fatty pork, shallots, Jew’s ear mushroom, Shiitake mushroom, glass noodles, egg, and carrot, all chopped and mixed with spices. The mixture is then stuffed in thin, white rice paper and rolled and deep fried in medium heat until they achieve the right crispy texture and yellow colour.

Meanwhile, Nem ran (crispy spring rolls) is a tasty, traditional dish. It is so popular that it is hard to attend a Vietnamese wedding, funeral, or Tet (Lunar New Year) party without seeing a tray loaded with these delicious spring rolls.

It is a harmonious mixture of many ingredients like fatty pork, shallots, Jew’s ear mushroom, Shiitake mushroom, glass noodles, egg, and carrot, all chopped and mixed with spices. The mixture is then stuffed in thin, white rice paper and rolled and deep fried in medium heat until they achieve the right crispy texture and yellow colour.

Goi Cuon, salad roll, summer roll, fresh spring roll, spring roll, or rice paper roll, is a Vietnamese dish traditionally consisting of boiled pork or shrimp, prawn, perilla, herbs, bun (rice vermicelli), and other ingredients wrapped in Vietnamese Banh Trang (commonly known as rice paper or cold roll).

Unlike other spring roll dishes which are believed to be originated from China, Vietnamese Goi Cuon is the country's creation using rice paper.

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