Cook phở at home: the kit

Good phở is made in the kitchen, not in the gadget shop. Above all you need space: four litres of water and 1.5 kg of bones need a pot with a hand's breadth of free room at the top, so foam and bubbling do not boil over. That means 8 litres as the lower limit, and 10 to 12 litres if you cook in stock. A heavy base holds heat more evenly and lets you lower the heat until the broth only murmurs. That matters more than any accessory, because boiling broth turns cloudy.

For skimming and for spices you need a skimmer (spider) or a large slotted spoon. For straining you need a fine-mesh strainer (20 to 24 cm diameter) through which the broth runs clear. If you want it clearer, line it with a clean kitchen cloth or cheesecloth. The spices (star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom) go in a spice bag: muslin tied with kitchen string, a tea egg, or a stainless steel infuser with a lid. That way you fish them out in one go after about two hours, before they turn bitter. How it all fits together is in the recipe.

Stove and heat. A 10-litre pot of broth needs a hob that carries it and can keep it low. On induction that works well as long as the pot base is magnetic and covers most of the plate. On gas, set the smallest flame and check after a quarter of an hour that the broth is rising gently in only one spot. A lid set slightly ajar helps hold the temperature without boiling over.

Kitchen equipment sells a lot that nobody needs for phở. These are the mistakes we see most often.

A pot that is too small. A 5-litre pot does not hold the recipe. You overfill, the foam boils over, and you lose broth while skimming. Better buy one size up, as it will also serve for stews, jam and broth in stock.

Thin-walled pots. They are light, but the base scorches, and it is harder to keep the heat low. Phở should not boil, it should steep.

Cheap strainers with wide mesh. Bone splinters and spice remnants fly straight through. Spend a few euros more on a fine stainless steel strainer and add a cloth if you want it clearer.

Special broth gadgets. There are spice bags, fat separators and temperature probes. A fat separator is handy, but a large spoon plus the fridge (the fat sets on top and lifts off) does the same. A thermometer is a nice extra, not a must. The only thing that matters: a gentle simmer, no rolling boil.

Porcelain that is too fine. Thin soup bowls look elegant but cool quickly and hold too little.

Plastic strainers and bowls are no good for hot broth either: never pour boiling liquid through a strainer that is not heat-resistant.

What matters at the table is heat and space. Phở is served in large, deep bowls (from about 900 ml) that you warm beforehand with hot water. Thin porcelain cools fast, thick ceramic holds. For the broth you need a spoon with a broad bowl; Asian ceramic spoons are made for it, pick up broth well and feel pleasant in the mouth. Chopsticks for the noodles complete it. If you have none, use a fork, but you will notice that slurping noodles goes faster with chopsticks.

The noodles and the spices are part of shopping. What to buy and what to look for is in the guide to spices and ingredients and the fish sauce guide. How to eat it then is explained in eating phở: culture and etiquette.

You are cooking phở once to try it. Borrow a large pot, use the slotted spoon you already have and a normal strainer with a kitchen cloth. Buy nothing but ingredients. If the broth turns clear and you like the result, you will know where equipment holds you back.

You want to cook it regularly. Then the pot (8 to 12 litres), a fine stainless steel strainer and two or three large bowls are worth it. That lasts for years. Prices change constantly, so we quote none: check them with the retailer before buying and compare at least two models.

You cook for many or in stock. Here the pressure cooker becomes an option if you are looking for one anyway. You cook several smaller batches and freeze them. Plan freezer containers you can stack in portions; flat-freezing bags save space.

Our opinion: the purchase that makes the difference is not the most expensive part but the pot. Everything beyond that is comfort.

Pot. After cooking, do not tip the fat down the drain. Let the broth cool, lift off the solidified fat from the top and bin it with general waste. Then rinse the pot hot. Soak stuck-on residue in hot water with a little washing-up liquid before scrubbing.

Strainer and cloth. Rinse straight after straining, before residue dries on and the fine mesh clogs. Boil the cloth out now and then. A new cloth should be washed first so it does not bring detergent aroma into the broth.

Spices. Whole spices keep much longer than ground ones in airtight tins, dark and dry. Smell before roasting: what hardly smells any more is old. How to recognise and buy them is in the spice guide.

Bowls and spoons. Ceramic is dishwasher-safe only if the maker says so. Hand-painted bowls are better washed by hand, and the ceramic spoon does not want a knock against the bowl.

Cast iron. After roasting, rinse hot, brush, dry immediately and oil thinly. Never leave it standing wet.

If the budget is tight, buy in this order. You can add or improvise the rest later. You probably already own part of the list: slotted spoon, pan and strainer belong in every kitchen. For pot and bowls the investment is worthwhile, because you will use them for years.

Our honest opinion: the pressure cooker is the purchase where marketing and use are furthest apart. If you already own one, use it for the quick version. If you do not and have time at the weekend, buy the large pot first.