Hanoi Pho - National Intangible Cultural Heritage

Hanoi Pho - National Intangible Cultural Heritage

Currently, in 30/30 districts, towns and cities in Hanoi, there are countless pho shops from high-end to popular, from shops on main streets to small alleys, residential areas... Traditional pho brands (over 2 generations of making pho) usually only specialize in selling beef pho or chicken pho, mainly concentrated in the districts of Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Hai Ba Trung... The history of the formation and development of Pho is associated with the ups and downs of the capital, the memories of many Hanoians. Pho has followed the historical changes in the second half of the 20th century of Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular, becoming a popular dish in the city. Behind each pho shop is a separate historical story that creates pieces to better understand the cuisine and people of Hanoi. The process of preparing and enjoying pho contains the quintessence of the capital, the length of culture, the ingenuity and sophistication of Hanoians. In the early stages of its formation, Pho originated from a rustic daily dish, from a snack, to now appearing everywhere on the streets, alleys, restaurants, and luxury hotels. Hanoians are connoisseurs of food, fashion, elegance, and refined lifestyle, so the formation of "Pho Hanoi" is also influenced by that style. Hanoi Pho has the natural sweetness of stewed bones, the aroma of meat that is just cooked to the right degree of softness but not toughness, clear broth, thin and soft pho noodles, decorated with eye-catching green onions and herbs, reflecting the sophisticated, meticulous nature of Hanoians in eating. Through the combination of neutral and cold ingredients and spices in the preparation of Pho, it shows people's awareness of creating a balance between humans and the natural environment.

Pho Hanoi - Vietnam's most famous specialty dish

The process of forming Pho is a manifestation of the process of cultural exchange and adaptation between the Vietnamese and the Chinese and the French living in Vietnam in the 20th century. Pho is a dish prepared from locally available ingredients such as rice, beef, chicken and spices available to the Vietnamese. Due to the influence of the habit of eating beef and some French dishes made from beef, they were adapted to suit the taste of the Vietnamese, most notably the beef pho with red wine sauce. Or the Chinese, who were famous for their ingenuity in preparing dishes, especially the popular soup dishes sold in Hanoi at that time, such as wonton noodles, with their culinary knowledge and skills, they contributed to the process of perfecting Pho, especially the step of combining ingredients to make delicious broth. After that, many Vietnamese people working for Chinese restaurants learned the secret and opened Pho restaurants. Pho is not only a dish that exists in the consciousness of Hanoians in particular, but has now become a symbol of the rich cuisine of Vietnamese people in general and has gone beyond the territory of Vietnam, reaching the level of world cuisine. Pho has become a proper noun in a series of famous dictionaries in the world and is present in over 50 countries around the world. Vietnamese Pho was also voted by the famous magazine Business Insider as one of the dishes that must be tried once in a lifetime for those who love to travel around the world. The Travel newspaper, a travel website, has published a list of 10 countries with the most delicious food in the world, including Vietnamese Pho. “Pho” also has nutritional value, tourism development value, community connection value, economic value, etc. To protect and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage “Pho Hanoi”, in the coming time, the functional sector will continue to synchronously deploy measures to protect and promote the value of the heritage through activities to promote and introduce the heritage; step up propaganda, diversify forms of propaganda, promotion and introduction of the heritage... At the same time, mobilize the contributions and support of the community; raise awareness and responsibility of people in improving product quality; organize and preserve, develop the sustainable pho cooking profession, focusing on building the brand “Pho Hanoi”. In addition, the functional unit organizes seminars and workshops to introduce pho and discuss issues of protecting and promoting the value of the intangible cultural heritage of pho cooking and pho consumption habits in Hanoi; Organize activities to teach, maintain and educate heritage, research and plan cultural spaces to practice heritage, contribute to the implementation of the capital's cultural industry development strategy, and the culinary culture sector. In addition, support pho shops in building brands, planning store spaces, ensuring food hygiene and safety conditions; form a network of pho-enjoying spaces in Hanoi. Functional units also need to build a "Pho Hanoi" map and support heritage practitioners to register trademarks and brands according to the provisions of law; encourage heritage practitioners and pho-enjoying communities to establish associations/unions or pho clubs on the basis of community voluntariness./.

Vnews

Source: https://vnews.gov.vn/news/pho-ha-noi-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-130896.htm