Pho cuon – a unique creation of Hanoi people

NDO - When talking about pho, many people immediately think of steaming beef pho or chicken pho with sweet and clear broth. However, among the countless unique creations of pho, Hanoi pho rolls have their own unique, light and delicate flavor.

Pho is a typical dish of Hanoi people, has appeared for a long time. However, pho rolls have only been around for more than two decades.

Mr. Duong Van Hung - Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Chefs Association said that pho cuon was born around 2000 in Ngu Xa. Different from pho soup, pho cuon is a harmonious combination of the sweetness of beef, the aroma of raw vegetables and the sour, spicy, salty and sweet taste of the dipping sauce, creating a refreshing, easy-to-eat and attractive dish.

Unlike traditional pho which needs to be eaten hot, pho cuon can be eaten at any time of the day. On hot summer afternoons or when you need a light meal, pho cuon is the ideal choice for diners.

According to Mr. Duong Van Hung, making pho rolls is not difficult. The secret to creating the delicious flavor lies in the choice of ingredients, the preparation method and the dipping sauce.

Mr. Hung said, to make delicious pho rolls, the first and most important thing is that the pho noodles must be delicious, and when diners eat them, they must feel the difference from all other types of pho noodles.

Pho cuon stall at Pho Festival 2025. (Photo: HUY LE)

To make pho rolls full of flavor, the noodles must be soft and chewy, not too crumbly and not too thick. When making pho noodles, you need to choose delicious, fragrant rice with little broken rice, grind the flour and filter it carefully so that the noodles are elastic and do not break when rolled.

In pho cuon, the rice noodles are not sliced ​​into thin strips but are spread thinly and in squares, so they remain soft and non-sticky when eaten. It is important that the rice noodles are made fresh on the same day to retain the natural flavor of the rice.

In addition to pho noodles, stir-fried beef also contributes to the unique flavor of the dish. The beef chosen to wrap pho is tender, thinly sliced ​​sirloin, then marinated with garlic, onion, ginger and spices until absorbed, then stir-fried quickly over high heat to keep it soft.

Next, place the rice noodles on a plate, spread some lettuce, mint and cilantro on top, then place the beef on top, then gently roll them into neat rice noodles.

Rolling pho is no less elaborate, requiring the maker to be skillful so that the meat and vegetables are tightly rolled in the pho noodles. If you roll too hard and not skillfully, the pho noodles will tear.

A standard pho roll not only needs to have soft, flexible rice noodles, but also needs to be rolled tightly, keeping its shape when picked up or bitten. The filling inside must be packed evenly, not loosely, so that when eaten, the ingredients do not fall out, creating a feeling of completeness in each bite.

According to Mr. Duong Van Hung, the soul of pho cuon lies in the dipping sauce. Because without the dipping sauce, pho cuon would be extremely bland, not enhancing the flavor of pho.

“To create the dipping sauce for pho cuon, the maker will have his own way, but basically it is still a sweet and sour dipping sauce. During the mixing process, the dipping sauce will be less salty, with a little more sweetness from sugar and the sourness of vinegar, along with spices such as garlic, chili, kohlrabi, green papaya and beautifully carved carrots,” Mr. Hung shared.

Mr. Duong Van Hung said that although it is a simple and rustic dish, pho cuon is quite attractive to foreign tourists. The reason is because pho cuon is like “Finger food” (meaning eating with hands with a menu of small, neat, beautifully decorated dishes). With its unique way of enjoying and delicate flavor, pho cuon always makes foreign tourists excited. Therefore, this dish becomes an indispensable choice for anyone when coming to Vietnam.

It can be said that pho cuon is a typical example showing the sophisticated creativity in the cuisine of Hanoians in particular and of Vietnam in general. From the familiar traditional pho dish with rich broth and soft pho noodles, Hanoians have cleverly transformed it to create a dish that is both novel and convenient, suitable for the modern lifestyle and the need for quick enjoyment of diners.

Not only changing the form, pho rolls also retain the spirit of pho, from the aroma of vegetables, the rich taste of stir-fried beef, to the harmonious sweet and sour dipping sauce, all blending in each small but delicate roll.

More than just a dish, pho cuon is an indispensable part of the capital's culinary life, carrying the breath of Hanoi's streets: elegant, simple yet profound.

In the journey of integration, dishes like pho cuon are the "ambassadors" that contribute to introducing Vietnamese culinary identity to international friends.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/pho-cuonsu-sang-tao-doc-dao-cua-nguoi-ha-thanh-post873863.html