© 2008 Pho la Jolla

Take your chopsticks and spoon to mix all the ingredients of your phở evenly. When eating noodles, vegetables, and/or meat, collect combinations of ingredients together with your chopsticks and dip them into the sauce. In between bites, scoop up broth with your spoon and sip it until your phở is done.

It may be difficult to eat the last bits of your phở with your spoon and chopsticks. In this situation, lay your spoon on its holder, bring the bowl to your mouth with your free hand, and guide the remnants into your mouth with your chopsticks.

Use a soup spoon and fork for your phở

Your fork will be used to wind up the phở noodles and spear other ingredients, like meat or vegetables.you'll want to position your spoon toward the back of the bowl so the front of the spoon faces away from you. This will make you less likely to drip any phở on yourself while eating. Take a fork in your right hand and swirl it through the phở noodles to catch some in the tines of your fork. Hold your spoon in your left hand, and submerge it in the broth. Then:

• Place the tip of your fork into the bowl of your spoon and twist the fork to collect the noodles together.
• Scoop or skewer meat and/or vegetables on the end of your fork, then dip the noodles and veggies into the sauce.
• Hold your fork over the sauce dish until it stops dripping sauce, or position your spoon closely beneath your fork to catch dripped sauce, then eat the phở.
• When you start getting low on phở, tilt your bowl backwards slightly to collect the remnants there. Then use your spoon to finish the meal

Sample your phở and add herbs and spices. Take your spoon and taste the broth. Add a scoop of beansprouts and use your spoon to push these and under cooked meat to the bottom of the bowl. Add herbs and spices to your phở with serving utensils.

Mix the dipping sauce. The same as you would normally when eating phở, take a small dish or saucer and combine equal parts hoisin sauce and sriracha chili. If you dislike spicy food, you might want to go light on the sriracha chili or leave it out completely.

• You can sample your sauce to check its spiciness by dipping the tip of a utensil, like your spoon, into the sauce and tasting it.

Unlike some other kinds of cuisine, Vietnamese food, including phở, is expected to be personalized to your tastes. Even special sauces that have been prepared beforehand can be poured into small sauce dishes and altered with seasonings until it suits your preferences.