Shadowing Practice: PHO GA 2 WAYS (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hi everyone, today I will introduce you to a classic Vietnamese dish, chicken phở, in two versions, dried and broth-based.
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By following the right steps and techniques, you can create both versions with this amazing chicken phở in the comfort of your own home.
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I will guide you through the process of preparing each component,
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from creating a rich broth to preparing the chicken with glowy yellow skin and essential spices.
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So let's get started!
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First, toast a teaspoon of white peppercorns, lime leaves, half a star anise, and a small piece of cinnamon.
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Over a small saucepan over medium low heat for about 3 minutes until the leaves are wilted and dried.
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Next, grill half an onion, a thumb-sized knob of ginger, and 5 shallots until charred.
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If you have some coriander roots, place them on the grill too.
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After that, scrape off the charred beets on the aromatics.
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The whole kitchen should be now filled with the amazing fragrance.
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When they are nice and clean, insert them into a tea filter bag or wrap them nicely in a piece of cheesecloth.
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Don't forget the toasted spices too.
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If the bags are not large enough, you can leave out the onion and ginger which I will cut into slices.
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Now add the chicken into a large soup pot filled with enough water to cover.
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For a quick dinner today, I just use a few chicken quarters, bring to a boil and add the aromatics and the tartest spices.
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Cook until the chicken is done, that's when you pierce into the thicket part of the drumsticks and see no pink water coming out.
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Transfer the chicken into an ice water bath, then de-bowl and cut into bite-sized pieces.
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To make the skin look brighter, You can brush it with some turmeric infused oil, which is made by heating oil with some turmeric powder.
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Next, stack off the lime leaves and roll into a cigar.
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Use a rubber band to secure it tight.
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This way it will be easier to cut them into very fine threads.
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This is the trick I learned from a local shop owner.
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For garnish, I will chop up some coriander and cut the scallion heads in half or in quarters.
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Also chop up the green parts of scallion and finely slice the onion.
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Season the broth with fish sauce and sauce to your taste taste
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and let's now assemble the noodle bowls warm up the flat
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rice noodles by blanching in hot water top with the chicken meat
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and sprinkle the lime leaf threads over garnish with the chopped coriander
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and sliced onion place the scallion hat on the ladle
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and submerge in the hot broth then ladle the aromatic broth
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over the noodle bowl you will serve this with a side platter of salt Tooth herbs and coriander,
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Asian basil and blanched bean sprouts to your liking Some slight chilies,
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lime wedges and hot sauce And let's dig in For the dry version, you will need to make an extra sauce first soak 20
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grams of tamarind parps in hot water fry some main shallots
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and garlic in a small sauce pan until fragrant add the tamarind juice chicken broth
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and soy sauce oyster sauce sugar some corn starch
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or tapioca starch slurry to thicken up the sauce blend some bean sprouts in hot water and add to the noodle bowl,
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drizzle the sauce over, toss well until combined and coat the noodles with the sauce, top with the chicken pieces,
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more bean sprouts, the lime leaf threads and fried shallots.
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Don't forget the chopped coriander and crushed roasted peanuts.
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Mix well before serving
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and you can also serve a small bowl of the broth at the side for cleansing the palate between each bite.
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There you have it for again in two versions, dry and broad-based.
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Let me know which one you prefer in the comment section below.
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Don't forget to subscribe to come back for more.
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See you there next time.

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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

This video is a goldmine for IELTS speaking practice and shadowing exercises. It combines everyday cooking instructions with descriptive language, mirroring real-life speaking contexts where you explain processes or share recipes. The speaker uses clear, step-by-step phrasing—ideal for honing fluency and coherence, two key IELTS criteria. Shadowing (or "shadowspeak") this dialogue helps you mimic natural pacing, intonation, and stress, which are crucial for sounding confident. Plus, the mix of simple and specific vocabulary (e.g., "tamarind pulp," "turmeric-infused oil") expands your lexical range, making it perfect for building the ability to discuss diverse topics.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The video is rich with practical structures. First, imperative verbs ("toast," "grill," "season") dominate, a common feature in instructional speech. Mastering these helps you give clear directions, a skill tested in IELTS speaking tasks. Second, conditional phrases like "if you have some coriander roots" teach you to add flexibility to your speech, useful for part 2 and 3 discussions. Third, time clauses such as "when they are nice and clean" show how to connect actions logically, improving coherence. Finally, phrases like "let's dig in" and "there you have it" are natural conversational fillers that make your speech sound less scripted—key for high IELTS scores.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Several words in the video can trip up learners. "Pho" (pronounced "fuh") is often mispronounced with a long "o" sound—listen closely to the speaker's short, crisp vowel. "Tamarind" (tuh-MAH-rind) has stress on the second syllable; avoid overemphasizing the first. "Coriander" (kor-ee-AN-der) is another tricky one—focus on the "an" syllable to avoid mixing it up with "coriander." Additionally, the phrase "aromatics" (air-oh-MAT-iks) requires clear enunciation of the "mat" sound. Practicing these with a shadowing app can help you refine your pronunciation, ensuring you're understood in real conversations and IELTS speaking tests.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itare wilted · should be now filled · is made
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or predictionwill introduce · will guide · will cut

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →