Pho & Friends Trivia Quiz

Answer: beef

Though also available in chicken-based (pho gà) and vegetarian versions, pho is traditionally made with a rich, aromatic beef stock and various cuts of beef - including organ meats such as tendon or tripe. To make the broth - definitely the soup's most important feature - beef bones, meat and oxtails are simmered for a long time together with aromatics such as charred onion, charred ginger, cloves and star anise. Flat rice noodles are then placed in a bowl with the meat, and the hot broth is poured over them; the soup is served with various garnishes, such as sliced green onions, fresh basil or mint leaves, bean sprouts and lime wedges. Wonderfully warming and comforting in cold weather, in the past few years pho has become very popular in the US, and restaurants that specialize in it have been opening all over the country, drawing crowds especially at lunch time.

Answer: lemongrass

Also known as bún bò Hue, this delicious noodle soup is named after Vietnam's former imperial capital. Unlike pho, this soup uses thin rice vermicelli rather than wide noodles, and the broth is strongly flavoured with lemongrass, the citrus-scented herb renowned for its insect-repelling properties. Though Vietnamese dishes are usually not as spicy as Thai or Malay ones, bún bò is a notable exception, as it contains chili oil, which gives the soup a reddish tint; fermented shrimp sauce is also added as a seasoning.

This heady concoction usually contains thinly-sliced beef shank (also used for the broth), chunks of oxtail and pig's knuckles, and is served with a wide selection of fresh herbs and vegetables.

Answer: French

The name of the Laotian version of pho comes from the famous French dish "pot au feu", a beef stew with vegetables. Indeed, though feu resembles pho in many ways (including its name), it is more stew-like than its Vietnamese counterpart, as vegetables such as carrots and celery are generally added to the meat, together with onions, a lot of garlic, ginger, herbs and spices; this rich, thick broth can also be served with steamed rice rather than noodles. Raw vegetables, especially tomatoes, are often used as a garnish, alongside the usual green onions, fresh herbs, chilies and lemon or lime wedges. Fried garlic, a Laotian favourite, is a common and popular topping for this dish. Laos was a French protectorate from 1893 to 1954 - hence the French influence on some aspects of its cuisine.

Answer: blood

Spicy and tangy, nam ngiaw is the most famous northern Thai dish - a hearty soup made with fermented rice vermicelli (khanom chin) in a rich pork and tomato broth, served with diced beef or pork and bits of curdled blood cake. Plenty of dried chilies, as well as fermented soy beans (tua nao), shallots and garlic, go into the paste that is used as a base for the soup.

The dish takes its name from the flower of the kapok tree (Bombax ceiba), which in its dried form is used as a flavouring for this unique soup - a delight for true connoisseurs, though maybe not suitable for the faint of heart!

Answer: chickpeas

Burmese cuisine has been strongly influenced by India, so it is not surprising to find an ingredient such as chickpea flour (called besan in Hindi) in an iconic dish such as mohinga. This fish-based rice noodle soup can be found everywhere in Myanmar, from street stalls to restaurants, where it is available all day long. Fish paste and fish sauce enhance the taste of the fresh fish (usually catfish), while garlic, onion, lemongrass and ginger add their aroma to the broth. Banana tree stem is also a usual ingredient for this rich soup, which is served garnished with fresh herbs, chilies, fried onions; crispy fish or vegetable fritters and boiled eggs are also frequent accompaniments to this southern Burmese dish.

Answer: coconut milk

Southeast Asian cuisines rely on coconut milk as a foil for the fiery heat of savoury spice pastes. Also present in Malaysia, Indonesia and southern Thailand, curry laksa is an example of the cross-cultural influences found in the cuisine of the Peranakans (or Nonya), born of the intermarriage between Chinese immigrants and the local Malay-Javanese population. Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with rice vermicelli, to which shrimp or other seafood, fish cake, fried bean curd and hard-boiled eggs are added; vegetables are generally not used, with the exception of bean sprouts.

This hearty, warming soup is served with a spoonful of sambal oelek (chili paste) and garnished with Vietnamese cilantro, also known as laksa leaf.

Answer: turmeric

One of the island nation's most popular dishes, soto ayam is Indonesia's very own "chicken soup for the soul" - comfort food sold by street carts, cafés and restaurants everywhere. Turmeric, the deep yellow spice related to ginger that gives curry mixes their distinctive colour, is used alongside shallots, garlic and coriander to make a paste that is then added to the aromatic chicken broth, flavoured with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Cooked chicken and rice vermicelli are placed in bowls, and the broth is ladled over them; hard-boiled eggs, potato croquettes and bean sprouts are frequently used as toppings.

There are many different versions of soto ayam, some including coconut milk as an ingredient.

Answer: dumplings

Filling and soothing, wonton noodle soup has a much milder taste than most of the other soups mentioned in this quiz. Thin egg noodles are served in a savoury broth with delicate filled wontons, crunchy leafy vegetables such as bok choy, and spring onions. Wontons - the Chinese answer to ravioli - are dumplings made with egg-based dough wrappers filled with minced shrimp or pork. Different versions of this dish, such as the ones found in Malaysia and Singapore, are more elaborate, and may include barbecued pork, pickled chilies and other spicy seasonings. Wonton noodles can also be served dry, with the broth in a separate bowl.

Answer: seaweed

The Japanese love their noodles, and enjoy them in a variety of tasty preparations - many of them soups or hot pots. The key to any of these dishes is the stock, which can be made with meat, poultry, seafood or vegetables, but will often start from a simple base of dashi.

This clear broth, which enhances the umami (savoury) taste of dishes, is made with kombu, a variety of edible sea kelp extensively used in Japanese cuisine, and katsuobushi (dried, fermented and smoked tuna flakes). Japanese noodle soups can include toppings such as sliced meats (generally pork), seafood, boiled or poached eggs, fried tofu, seaweed, pickles and tempura (battered and deep-fried shrimp or vegetables). Udon are thick wheat noodles, while ramen (also made from wheat flour) are thin and often crinkled.

Answer: buckwheat

Like other East and Southeast Asian peoples, Koreans eat a lot of noodles, and soups, stews and hot pots are widely consumed in the Korean peninsula, whose climate can get quite cold in winter. Naengmyeon, however, is more suited to the region's hot and humid summers.

This dish, which comes in a soupy (mul naengmyeon) and a saucy (bibim naengmyeon) version, originated in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. Mul naengmyeon consists of buckwheat noodles in chilled beef broth, garnished with julienned cucumber, slices of Asian pear, pickled radish and thin slices of beef or hard-boiled egg; spicy mustard and vinegar can be added before eating. If left uncut, the noodles (guksu) symbolize long life; in restaurants, waiters cut them with scissors if the customers so request. Buckwheat flour, derived from a plant related to sorrel and rhubarb, is dark in colour - as implied by the French names of the plant, "blé noir" (black wheat) or "sarrasin" (Moorish).