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National Geographic
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Why pho tastes different depending on where you are
In the buzzing matrix of Hanoi's old quarter sits Phở Thìn, one of 700-or-so pho restaurants that speckle this thousand-year-old city. Phở Thìn is practically outfitted with stainless steel tables, embellished by jars and shakers, over wastebaskets for the innumerable spent lime rinds and napkins requisite for enjoying Vietnam's beloved national dish. Beneath the whirr of fans and clank of lids, diners pore over their bowls of phở bò (beef pho), which owner Nguyễn Trọng Thìn has been serving here since 1979. Nguyễn opened Phở Thìn in the scarce years following the Vietnam War, hoping it would always enable him to feed his newborn son. A fiercely proud Hanoian from a family that has resided in this very neighborhood for 10 generations, Nguyễn developed his pho recipe, slightly smoky with extra spring onion, 46 years ago with his northern city's people at heart. Black cardamom (Thao Qua) is a traditional ingredient in pho broth. Photograph by Ian Teh, Panos Pictures/Redux 'People in Hanoi, especially artists, are known to be very picky about their food,' says Nguyen, an artist by trade himself. 'But if you make good pho, people will know it, and they'll come.' About 7,000 miles west, in Oakland, California, Tee Tran opened Monster Pho in 2014. In 1987, at age three, Tee fled the southern city of Saigon by boat with his mom and brothers, living in refugee camps before settling in California. He grew up adoring his mother's southern style of cooking, and his restaurant is true to those recipes. 'Pho is our staple; it's what we grew up on,' says Tee. 'We'd beg our mom to make it when we were little.' Today, throughout Vietnam and across the world, people are sitting down for a bowl of pho. An unexpectedly new dish in Vietnam's long culinary history, this aromatic soup of flat rice noodles, meat, and herbs has traveled far beyond its original roots over a century of change. If you taste closely, each bowl can tell you a lot about where it's been. (Related: A guide to Hanoi, Vietnam's beguiling capital) The origins of pho The widely accepted story begins at the end of the 19th century, 50 miles from Hanoi in Nam Dinh province. Situated on the Red River Delta, the area abounded with fertile rice paddies, where farmers kept cows as labor animals while locals preferred to eat other meats, such as water buffalo. But 1898 brought an influx of French laborers to build what would become the largest textile plant in colonized Indochina, and with the French, an appetite for beef. 'The Vietnamese saw the way the French were using beef, and they were like, 'You're kind of wasteful,'' says Khanh Linh Trinh, a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan studying Vietnamese culinary history. Left with the bones and scraps, prudent local cooks boiled the first version of pho broth, pouring it over noodles and meat to create a new variation of soups they'd known for generations and selling it to both local and French laborers. Hanoians tend to eat pho for breakfast, though many Vietnamese restaurants will serve it throughout the day. Photograph by Stuart Freedman, Corbis/Getty Images When these workers journeyed to Hanoi for construction of the Long Biên Bridge, pho vendors followed, and the soup took root in the capital. 'People in the North really value the purity of the broth,' says Trinh, who is from Hanoi and attributes the northern preference for delicate pho broth in part to the influence of Southern Chinese people in the region. Vietnam was split after the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, and nearly a million Northerners moved south. Pho migrated with them and gained popularity below the 17th parallel, adapting to the local preferences in each area. Incorporating new preferences, Southern pho broth evolved to be sweeter, darker, and richer. In 1975, Northern troops captured Saigon, ending the Vietnam War and bringing about massive migrations. Hundreds of thousands of Southern Vietnamese, like Tee, fled to the United States, France, and Australia, building distinctly Vietnamese communities in places like San Jose, California. Around the same time, Vietnam's new communist government began sending people, mostly Northerners, to study and work in the Soviet Union. Some of them stayed, followed by friends and family, growing significant Northern Vietnamese populations in Germany, the Czech Republic, and other former Soviet nations. Among the memories that traveled with each, were their distinct recipes for pho, carrying regional versions of the dish all over the world. 'A lot of Chinese restaurants were run by Vietnamese people who didn't have the confidence to introduce Vietnamese food,' says Trinh Thuy Duong, a Vietnamese food blogger who moved from Hanoi to Prague with her family in the 90s, adding that authentic Vietnamese food was only offered in Vietnamese markets. 'But around 2010, one family opened a pho restaurant in the center of Prague. There were lines out the door.' Pho restaurants began opening all over the city, serving the clear, savory northern style brought by so many to Prague. One, Pho 100, even makes their own fresh noodles (banh pho, the namesake of the dish). Around the same time, Trinh Thuy Duong found the confidence to begin offering tours of the original Vietnamese market, introducing more dishes to those inspired by their first taste of pho. How pho is made Diners will find more than 700 pho restaurants in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photograph by Martin Westlake, Alamy Stock Photo Marrow-rich beef bones are the foundation of pho's aromatic broth. Photograph by Pascal Deloche, Godong/AP Images Northern or Southern, broth is the heart of pho. In Hanoi and Oakland, respectively, Nguyễn and Tee begin their broths the same way, with marrow-rich beef bones, parboiled to remove impurities before simmering for up to 12 hours. As the bones whisper their flavors, the chefs add onion, ginger, and the spices that have given pho its distinguishing aroma for generations—including star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and coriander. Here, their processes begin to diverge. Nguyễn spices his northern broth with restraint, keeping it light and elegant as his customers have enjoyed for nearly 50 years. Tee dispenses liberally, building the rich southern brew as his mother does, adding rock sugar to bring forward the meaty sweetness. To assemble the dish, the flat rice noodles, slightly wider in northern style, are briefly blanched and strained, creating a springy bed for the sliced beef and onions before the steaming broth is poured over it all prior to serving. Waiting on the table in a southern-style restaurant, be it in California or Ho Chi Minh City, will be bean sprouts, fresh herbs like Thai basil, hoisin, and sriracha, reminiscent of Cantonese and Thai influence in Southern Vietnam. A northern-style table will sport subtler trimmings, like pickled garlic, chili sauce, and lime. (Related: The ultimate Ho Chi Minh City itinerary) Here, cook hands the story to the diner, who garnishes the pho to their liking. For Tee, it's 'a little bit of everything,' while Khanh Linh Trinh would consider hoisin in her clear, Northern pho as sacrilege. In Prague, Trinh Thuy Duong orders her pho with banh quay, fried dough sticks beloved among northern pho eaters. But whatever disagreement exists over which version is better; it tends to go quiet once it's time to eat. 'It's hard to fight with people about their favorite foods,' says Trinh. 'It's very intimate.' Where to eat pho in Vietnam Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn, Hanoi Translating to 'family heirloom pho,' Phở Gia Truyền is a fantastic example of Hanoi-style pho. Diners can choose from a variety of beef styles, including the popular tái (rare steak), nạm (flank), and chín (lean beef). While Hanoians tend to eat pho for breakfast, Phở Gia Truyền is open all day long. Pho Lien, Hoi An On Vietnam's central coast, Pho Lien offers another delicious regional take, with crushed roasted peanuts and pickled papaya. 'It's completely different from what people know as pho, but it's loved in Hoi An,' says Helen Huyen, a cookbook author from Central Vietnam. 'It still has the essence of pho.' Phở Phượng, Ho Chi Minh City Michelin Guide recommended, Phở Phượng in Saigon's District 1 boasts a flavorful southern broth accompanied by a basket of herbs for diners to add as desired. They are particularly known for their slow-cooked oxtail (đuôi bò). (Related: Remembering Anthony Bourdain—and his favorite places) Ryley Graham is a Minnesota-raised freelance journalist based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Her work, mainly focused on food, migration, and the environment, has been featured in publications such as Smithsonian Magazine and USA Today. Translation assistance was provided by Mai Hang Nguyen.
Euronews
18-04-2025
- General
- Euronews
Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf wins 2025 World Press Photo of Year
ADVERTISEMENT A moving portrait of nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, a young Gazan boy who lost both arms in an Israeli airstrike, has been named World Press Photo of the Year 2025. The image, taken by Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, shows Mahmoud bathed in warm light, facing a window in quiet contemplation. The photograph is not only a powerful act of photojournalism, but a personal story too. Abu Elouf, who was evacuated from Gaza in December 2023, now lives in the same apartment complex as Mahmoud in Doha. There, she has been documenting the stories of Gazans who made it out for treatment, including Mahmoud, who was injured while fleeing an Israeli attack in Gaza City in March 2024. As he turned back to urge his family to run, an explosion severed one arm and mutilated the other. Mahmoud Ajjour, aged nine © Samar Abu Elouf, for The New York Times Today, in Qatar, Mahmoud is learning to navigate his new life — playing games on his phone, writing, and even opening doors with his feet. His dream? To get prosthetics and live life as any other child. The war in Gaza has taken a disproportionate toll on children, with the United Nations estimating that by December 2024, Gaza had the highest per capita number of child amputees in the world. 'This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly,' said Joumana El Zein Khoury, Executive Director of World Press Photo. 'It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations. Looking at our archive, in the 70th year of World Press Photo, I am confronted by too many images like this one." She added: 'I remain endlessly grateful for the photographers who, despite the personal risks and emotional costs, record these stories to give all of us the opportunity to understand, empathise, and be inspired to action.' Global jury chair Lucy Conticello, Director of Photography for M, Le Monde's weekend magazine, echoed this sentiment: 'This young boy's life deserves to be understood, and this picture does what great photojournalism can do: provide a layered entry point into a complex story, and the incentive to prolong one's encounter with that story. In my opinion, this image by Samar Abu Elouf was a clear winner from the start.' Night Crossing John Moore, United States, Getty Images Two finalists were also honoured alongside the winning image: Night Crossing by John Moore for Getty Images, and Droughts in the Amazon by Musuk Nolte for Panos Pictures, Bertha Foundation. In Night Crossing, Chinese migrants are seen huddling for warmth during a cold rain after crossing the US–Mexico border — an intimate glimpse into the often-politicised realities of migration. In Droughts in the Amazon, a young man carries food to his mother in the village of Manacapuru, once accessible by boat. He now walks two kilometres along a dry riverbed — a haunting vision of the world's largest rainforest in crisis . Droughts in the Amazon Musuk Nolte, Peru/Mexico, Panos Pictures, Bertha Foundation These stories were selected from over 59,000 images submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries. The winning works will be showcased at the World Press Photo Exhibition 2025 , which opens at MPB Gallery at Here East in London from 23 May–25 August. The travelling exhibition will visit over 60 locations around the world.
Observer
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Amputee Palestinian boy photo wins award
AMSTERDAM: A haunting portrait of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy who lost both arms during an Israeli attack on Gaza City won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year Award on Thursday. The picture, by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, depicts Mahmoud Ajjour, evacuated to Doha after an explosion severed one arm and mutilated the other last year. "One of the most difficult things Mahmoud's mother explained to me was how when Mahmoud first came to the realisation that his arms were amputated, the first sentence he said to her was, 'How will I be able to hug you'?" said Elouf. The photographer is also from Gaza and was herself evacuated in December 2023. She now portrays badly wounded Palestinians based in Doha. "Working on this project was a special but painful experience. Through it, I sought to show the difficulties of the lives of wounded Palestinians outside of Gaza," she told reporters. "This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly. It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations," said Joumana El Zein Khoury, World Press Photo Executive Director. The jury praised the photo's "strong composition and attention to light" and its thought-provoking subject-matter, especially questions raised over Mahmoud's future. The boy is now learning to play games on his phone, write and open doors with his feet, the jury said. "Palestinian children have paid a heavy price for the horrors they have experienced, and Mahmoud is just one of those children," said the photographer. "Mahmoud's dream is simple: he wants to get prosthetics and live his life as any other child," said the World Press Photo organisers in a statement. The jury also selected two photos for the runner-up prize. The first, entitled "Droughts in the Amazon" by Musuk Nolte for Panos Pictures and the Bertha Foundation, shows a man on a dried-up river bed in the Amazon carrying supplies to a village once accessible by boat. - AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Amputee Palestinian Boy Image Wins World Press Photo Award
A haunting portrait of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy who lost both arms during an Israeli attack on Gaza City won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year Award Thursday. The picture, by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, depicts Mahmoud Ajjour, evacuated to Doha after an explosion severed one arm and mutilated the other last year. "One of the most difficult things Mahmoud's mother explained to me was how when Mahmoud first came to the realisation that his arms were amputated, the first sentence he said to her was, 'How will I be able to hug you'?" said Elouf. The photographer is also from Gaza and was herself evacuated in December 2023. She now portrays badly wounded Palestinians based in Doha. "This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly. It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations," said Joumana El Zein Khoury, World Press Photo Executive Director. The jury praised the photo's "strong composition and attention to light" and its thought-provoking subject-matter, especially questions raised over Mahmoud's future. The boy is now learning to play games on his phone, write, and open doors with his feet, the jury said. "Mahmoud's dream is simple: he wants to get prosthetics and live his life as any other child," said the World Press Photo organisers in a statement. The jury also selected two photos for the runner-up prize. The first, entitled "Droughts in the Amazon" by Musuk Nolte for Panos Pictures and the Bertha Foundation, shows a man on a dried-up river bed in the Amazon carrying supplies to a village once accessible by boat. The second, "Night Crossing" by John Moore shooting for Getty Images, depicts Chinese migrants huddling near a fire during a cold rainshower after crossing the US–Mexico border. The jury sifted through 59,320 photographs from 3,778 photo journalists to select 42 prize-winning shots from around the world. Photographers for Agence France-Presse were selected four times for a regional prize, more than any other organization. Nairobi-based Luis Tato won in the "Stories" category for the Africa region for a selection of photos depicting Kenya's youth uprising. Jerome Brouillet won in the "Singles" category Asia-Pacific and Oceania for his iconic picture of surfer Gabriel Medina seemingly floating above the waves. Clarens Siffroy won in the "Stories" category North and Central America for his coverage of the gang crisis in Haiti. Finally, Anselmo Cunha won in the "Singles" category for South America for his photo of a Boeing 727-200 stranded at Salgado Filho International Airport in Brazil.
Khaleej Times
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Amputee Palestinian boy image wins World Press Photo award
A haunting portrait of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy who lost both arms during an Israeli attack on Gaza City won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year Award on Thursday. The picture, by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, depicts Mahmoud Ajjour, evacuated to Doha after an explosion severed one arm and mutilated the other last year. "One of the most difficult things Mahmoud's mother explained to me was how when Mahmoud first came to the realisation that his arms were amputated, the first sentence he said to her was, 'How will I be able to hug you'?" said Elouf. The photographer is also from Gaza and was herself evacuated in December 2023. She now portrays badly wounded Palestinians based in Doha. "This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly. It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations," said Joumana El Zein Khoury, World Press Photo executive director. The jury praised the photo's "strong composition and attention to light" and its thought-provoking subject-matter, especially questions raised over Mahmoud's future. The boy is now learning to play games on his phone, write, and open doors with his feet, the jury said. "Mahmoud's dream is simple: he wants to get prosthetics and live his life as any other child," said the World Press Photo organisers in a statement. The jury also selected two photos for the runner-up prize. The first, entitled 'Droughts in the Amazon' by Musuk Nolte for Panos Pictures and the Bertha Foundation, shows a man on a dried-up river bed in the Amazon carrying supplies to a village once accessible by boat. The second, 'Night Crossing' by John Moore shooting for Getty Images, depicts Chinese migrants huddling near a fire during a cold rainshower after crossing the US–Mexico border. The jury sifted through 59,320 photographs from 3,778 photo journalists to select 42 prize-winning shots from around the world. Photographers for Agence France-Presse were selected four times for a regional prize, more than any other organisation. Nairobi-based Luis Tato won in the 'Stories' category for the Africa region for a selection of photos depicting Kenya's youth uprising. Jerome Brouillet won in the 'Singles' category Asia-Pacific and Oceania for his iconic picture of surfer Gabriel Medina seemingly floating above the waves. Clarens Siffroy won in the 'Stories' category North and Central America for his coverage of the gang crisis in Haiti. Finally, Anselmo Cunha won in the 'Singles' category for South America for his photo of a Boeing 727-200 stranded at Salgado Filho International Airport in Brazil.
