Concentrated Pho Broth Seasoning

Concentrated pho broth seasoning was created in 2019 in the seasonings and sauces area of our Binh Duong plant. It was designed first for Vietnamese communities and Vietnamese restaurants abroad, where sourcing every ingredient and simmering bones for hours is not always practical. Today it is exported to 12 countries and is Thalvora's leading seasoning export.

Ingredients

The recipe was developed with long-standing pho cooks and went through more than 40 versions before being finalised.

• Beef bones and beef from slaughterhouses with food safety certification and full veterinary inspection.
• Shallots and ginger from Thalvora's Lam Dong sourcing area, charred over coal in our plant.
• Cinnamon, star anise and black cardamom bought directly from growers in the northern mountain provinces, then cleaned and dry-toasted.
• Cloves, coriander seed, sea salt and first-press fish sauce round out the flavour.

No preservatives are used. Salt content is declared clearly on the label so cooks can adjust their seasoning.

Production

• Blanching and simmering: beef bones are blanched clean, then simmered at 95–98 °C for 10 hours to yield a clear stock.
• Charring and toasting: shallots and ginger are charred until blackened outside, and whole spices are toasted at 160 °C for six to eight minutes to release their aroma.
• Infusion: the spices steep in the hot stock for 45 minutes before being strained out.
• Concentration: vacuum evaporation at 60–65 °C to around 55% solids keeps the aroma without scorching the natural sugars.
• Hot filling: filled into jars above 85 °C, capped, inverted and rapidly cooled.

Food safety

The Binh Duong plant is certified to FSSC 22000, and the seasonings area runs a HACCP plan with a critical control point at hot filling. Every lot is tested for solids, salinity, pH, water activity and microbiology, with retained samples kept until the end of shelf life. Export lots travel with certificates of analysis and labelling in the language of each destination market. The label flags allergens including fish, from the fish sauce.

Packaging and shelf life

Available in a 200 g glass jar for households, a 50 g single-use sachet and a 2 kg tub for restaurant kitchens. Shelf life is 18 months unopened at ambient temperature. After opening, refrigerate and use within two months, always with a clean, dry spoon.

How to use

Stir 50 g of base into 2 litres of boiling water and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. For a richer broth, simmer 300–500 g of beef bones for one to two hours first. Adjust with salt or fish sauce to taste. Blanch the rice noodles, top with thinly sliced beef, ladle over the broth at a rolling boil and serve with spring onion, fresh herbs, lime and chilli. The base also works for stir-fried beef with noodles or a quick beef stew.

Traceability

The QR code on the jar shows the origin of the main ingredient groups, the production date and lot test results.