Pho toppings explained: what goes on the side plate

The pho side plate usually holds Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges and sliced chilies, often with culantro (ngò gai), while the table has hoisin and chili sauce. You add these to taste, a little at a time, so each bowl ends up just the way you like it.

What arrives on the plate depends on where the pho is from. Southern-style shops, and most pho restaurants in the US, go big on herbs. Northern-style bowls are simpler. Here is what everything is and how to use it.

The herbs and greens

• Húng quế (Thai basil): Purple stems, pointed leaves and a sweet anise flavor. Tear the leaves off the stem and drop them in.
• Ngò gai (culantro, sawtooth herb): Long, serrated leaves that taste like a stronger cilantro. Tear or slice it into small pieces, as it can be tough.
• Ngò or rau mùi (cilantro): Often already chopped on top of the bowl. "Ngò" is the Southern word; "rau mùi" is Northern.
• Hành lá (scallions): Usually sliced on top already.
• Hành tây (onion): Paper-thin slices of white onion, sometimes soaked in vinegar to soften the bite.
• Ngò om (rice paddy herb) and rau răm (Vietnamese coriander) appear at some shops, but less often with pho than with other soups.

Bean sprouts

Giá (bean sprouts) add crunch and freshness. Some people drop them in raw, and some push them under the hot broth for a minute so they soften slightly. Some shops will serve them blanched if you ask. If food safety is a concern, blanching is the safer choice, since raw sprouts are a known food safety risk for some people.

Lime and chili

Chanh (lime): A squeeze brightens the broth. Add it a bit at a time and taste.

Ớt (chili): Fresh sliced bird's eye or jalapeño chilies. Bird's eye chilies are very hot, so start with one or two slices.

The sauces

• Tương đen (hoisin sauce): Sweet, dark and thick.
• Tương ớt (chili sauce), such as sriracha: Spicy and garlicky.
• Sa tế: A chili oil, sometimes with lemongrass, offered at some shops.

Many pho fans prefer to squeeze hoisin and chili sauce into a small dipping dish and dunk meat into it, rather than stirring it into the broth. That way you keep the broth's flavor clear. Plenty of people stir it right in, though, and nobody will stop you. Hoisin often contains soy and sometimes wheat, so check labels if you have allergies.

Northern extras

In Hanoi-style pho, you are more likely to see:

• Quẩy: Fried dough sticks, torn and dunked into the broth.
• Giấm tỏi: Vinegar with sliced garlic, added a few drops at a time.
• Tỏi ngâm and ớt: Pickled garlic and fresh chili.

The herb plate is often small or absent, as the bowl is expected to taste balanced on its own.

Meat toppings

On the menu, you choose your meat. Many shops offer a "special" with several cuts at once, often called phở đặc biệt.

• Tái: Thin slices of rare steak that cook in the hot broth
• Chín: Well-done brisket
• Nạm: Flank
• Gầu: Fatty brisket
• Gân: Tendon, soft and gelatinous after long cooking
• Sách: Tripe, thin with a slight chew
• Bò viên: Springy beef meatballs

For chicken pho, toppings are simpler: shredded chicken, sometimes with skin or offal, plus scallions and herbs. See easy chicken pho for a home version.

How should you add toppings?

Taste the broth first, before adding anything. It is the heart of the bowl, and many cooks appreciate it when diners try it as served. Then:

• Start small. Add a few herbs and a squeeze of lime, then taste again.
• Add herbs as you go. Tearing a few basil leaves into each section keeps them bright instead of wilted.
• Go easy on bird's eye chili. You can always add more.

The guide to eating pho like a local goes further into technique and manners.

Setting up a side plate at home

If you are making pho at home, a good side plate needs only a few things:

• Thai basil, or Italian basil if that's all you can find
• Bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
• Limes, cut into wedges
• One or two fresh chilies, sliced
• Cilantro and scallions
• Hoisin and sriracha on the table

Asian grocery stores usually carry Thai basil and culantro. Wash and dry the herbs well, and keep them chilled until just before serving.

Put out a small dish at each place for sauces, so everyone can dip their meat without changing the broth for the whole bowl.