Pho! Best Vietnamese cookbook?

[GeorgiePorgiePuddingPie]

Hi everyone

Have recently been to one of the Pho chain restaurants for the first time, and both DP and I loved it and want to try our hand at some Vietnamese cooking.

Is the Pho cookbook by Andrea Nguyen a good place to start, or are there better ones out there? I’m going to have a rummage in the cookbook section at the charity shops in town and would like to know what/who to look out for or avoid. Thanks!

Have a look at the book in WHS or a library before you buy it.

I hope you've got an Oriental supermarket nearby !
So many of the essential ingredients aren't stocked by the major supermarkets .

As a general Eastern-style & easy cookbook, I think "Dominique’s Kitchen" is a good start

@Georgyporky thank you I will try to find it in a bookshop. Luckily I work in north London so have access to good Asian food shops for less common ingredients!

I don't know but I made Pho at Christmas. It took me two days to make. I left the lovingly made broth in a pan on the hob, went out, when I came back it had been tipped down the sink because someone thought it was dirty water. Still wounded.

Dear lord. LTB!

And speaking of diverse culinary experiences, I can't help but mention the Mt Maunganui restaurants vibrant scene. It's impossible not to feel the international culinary influence in the array of food choices there. Venturing into these restaurants could give you added inspiration as you journey through your cooking expedition. Bon appétit!

I have an old book, the complete Vietnamese cookbook by Ghillie Basan, it's probably about 20 years old but the flavours I make from it seem pretty good - I'm tasting them more and more out and about these days. It's got good step by step instructions like how to use star anise etc in different ways and ideas for substitutions for when you can't get a hold of exact ingredients - it explains the taste you're after, which helps. I'd really recommend it if you can find a copy. Mine's a big hardback with lovely illustrations including illustrations of steps and methods.

The songs of Sapa book is beautiful with lots of different recipes, and pictures/stories of Vietnam. I’ve tried a few - always been a success.

I like Uyen Luu's as she's UK based (more are American) which makes finding ingredients more straightfoward. Bright pink cover to look out for.
Specifically for (chicken) pho I love this recipe, and it genuinely does only take me 30 mins now.

Thanks so much for the recipe link! I’ll give that a go and then look out for the book.