Phở Áp Chảo (Crispy Pan-Fried Phở with Beef)

Phở Áp Chảo (Or Phở Xào Giòn) is a creative Hanoian twist on Phở. It is a plate of crispy fried Pho noodles that can be cut into pizza-like slices.

Just as Bánh Tráng Nướng is often dubbed the Vietnamese rice paper pizza , this noodle dish earns the nickname Pho Pizza.

What is Phở Áp Chảo?

In Vietnamese, Phở Áp Chảo literally means “Pan-fried Phở,” while Phở Xào Giòn means “Crispy Stir-fried Phở Noodles”.

Hanoi is not just the capital of Vietnam; it’s also the capital of Phở. A food tour in Hanoi wouldn’t be complete without trying at least two kinds of Phở.

Besides the classic Beef Phở (Phở Bò) and Chicken Phở (Phở Gà), there’s also:

• Red Wine Beef Stew Phở (Phở Bò Sốt Vang)
• Dry Phở (Phở Trộn)
• Phở Spring Rolls (Phở Cuốn)

This recipe is the Hanoi-style Phở Áp Chảo, the stir-fry beef served with crispy fried rice noodles. If you’re a fan of Mì Xào Giòn (Crispy Birds Nest Egg Noodles), you’ll likely love this dish too.

Why you will love this recipe

• Exceptionally delicious, brimming with a variety of textures (crispy Phở noodles and succulent stir-fried beef – quite intriguing, isn’t it?).
• Easier to make than traditional Phở.
• Gluten-free: Like many traditional Vietnamese dishes such as Bánh Cuốn (steamed rice rolls), Vietnamese spring rolls or Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes) , this recipe is totally gluten-free.

Ingredients

• Fresh Flat Pho Noodles: Choose the type made for Northern Phở. Follow the package instructions to soak, boil, and drain for rehydration.
• Cornstarch: the key ingredient for a crispy Pho base.
• Egg yolks: they give a nice color and richer flavor to the dish, but you can also use a whole egg.
• Chicken powder & cooking oil

• Sliced beef: you could use top round steak, flank steak, sirloin, strip, or rib-eye cuts.
• Cornstarch: Used both for tenderizing the beef (like in Bún Bò Xào – Rice Noodle Salad with Stir-fried Beef) and thickening the slurry.
• Vegetables: bean sprouts, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and scallions.
  • I highly recommend cilantro, onions, and scallions, other vegetables are flexible. You could use bok choy or napa cabbages also.
• Seasoning: soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic and cooking oil.

• You could use the classic Nước Chấm, Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce or soy sauce for this recipe.

Instructions

• Marinate the sliced beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, sugar, cooking oil, and cornstarch for about 20 minutes.
• Thinly wedge the onion and tomato. Julienne the carrot. Chop the cilantro and scallions. Trim and chop the green beans into 1-inch (3 cm) long pieces. If you are using Bok Choi or Napa Cabbage, cut them into 2-inch (5 cm) long pieces.

• Toss the Pho noodles with chicken powder. Add egg yolks to the noodles and mix until the noodles are well coated. Then gently mix in the cornstarch to ensure the noodles are coated evenly by the starch.

You have two cooking options:

Deep-frying for a crispy Pho base:

• Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in the pan, enough to fully immerse the rice noodles. When the oil reaches the desired temperature, add the Pho noodles, ensuring they are separated and shaped into a round form.
• Submerge the noodles in the hot oil and cook until they turn crispy. Once the rice noodles have achieved a crispy texture, carefully take them out and let them drain on a rack to remove any excess oil.

Pan-frying for a healthier version (crispy outside, soft inside):

• Add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to a non-stick pan. Place the rice noodles into the pan, separating and shaping them into a round form.
• Pan-fry the rice noodles until the bottom side becomes crispy. Carefully use a spatula to flip the Pho pizza. Cook the other side until it turns crispy as well. Remove the rice noodles from the pan and place them on a plate.

• In the same pan, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef and stir-fry it until it reaches medium-rare. Transfer the beef to a bowl.

• In the same pan, add another 1 tbsp of oil. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes slightly translucent. Then, add the green beans and carrots, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry the vegetables for around two minutes, or until they are halfway cooked.

• Add the mung bean sprouts and tomatoes, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Once the vegetables are done, incorporate the cilantro and scallions.
• Reintroduce the cooked beef and mix until well combined. Season with chicken powder and soy sauce.

• Pour in around 1/4 – 1/3 cup of water (60-80ml) into the stir-fry. Create a mixture of 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water, and add it to the pan. Cook over high heat until the sauce thickens.
• Place the stir-fried beef and vegetables with the sauce on top of the fried Pho noodles. You can enjoy it as is, with a drizzle of Nước Chấm, soy sauce, or with Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce (the best).

Helpful Tips

• With dry Pho noodles, simply follow the package instructions to soak, boil, and drain them for rehydration.
• Ensure that you have all the other components prepared before stir-frying the beef. The beef should be served while it’s still hot.
• Cook the beef and the Pho noodles in small batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. I usually stir-fry 2/3 lb (300g) of beef and pan-fry 0.5 lb (250g) of Pho noodles at a time.
• If you’re using bok choy or napa cabbage, add them to the pan after the onions.
• Besides cornstarch, you could use tapioca starch or potato starch.