How to Make Phogurken (pho-flavored, senfgurken-style pickles!)

Are you insane for pho noodle soup like I am? The symphony of flavors sometimes is just mind-boggling, how it all comes together so magically.

Pho has been part of my cooking DNA ever since the five years I spent working off Buford Highway in the Atlanta area, eating my way through every bowl I could find. That obsession eventually turned into a whole catalog of pho‑inspired creations — my pho reuben sandwich was the ultimate, using pho kraut, pho pickles, pho corned beef, and even “phomented ketchup” (a pho-flavored fermented ketchup, but you can also easily make it not-fermented, check out the recipe!).

I have even more, like my phomato bombs and pho-spiced okra pickles aka “phokra“! When I say pho flavor runs deep in my kitchen, I mean it!

Senfgurken, on the other hand, is its own beloved German-tradition of pickle-making: oversized, overripe cucumbers peeled, seeded, and turned into sweet‑and‑sour pickles. Over the years I’ve shared my traditional senfgurken on the blog, plus cinnamon‑ginger senfgurken and garlic‑dill senfgurken in my first cookbook. Then there was the honigurken (German-style “honey pickles”) in my second cookbook, which is another kind of spin on senfgurken. Then came my jangajji‑style senfgurken here on the blog, which is a hybrid (much like today’s recipe!) of Korean and German pickling traditions, all built on the same oversized‑cucumber foundation but each with its own personality.

So this recipe is where those two worlds finally collide: pho‑flavored senfgurken, a mustard‑free, pho‑aromatic, lime‑bright, basil‑lifted, ginger‑forward fridge pickle powered by toasted spices and my homemade fish sauce. Though you certainly could, they weren’t really made with the idea to accompany pho itself — they’re a fun, snackable, fusion pickle inspired by pho’s flavor profile. Great on a pickle plate, as a palate cleanser, on a burger, and much more. And yes, probably not bad at all served with pho, lol!

Alright — let’s go!

Yield:

One half‑gallon jar (900g cucumber chunks)

Equipment (in order used):

• Cutting board & knife
• Citrus hand press
• Wooden stirring spoon
• Small saucepan (for toasting spices)
• Suggested: gram scale (to match this recipe)
• Mortar and pestle
• Half‑gallon jar
• Medium pot
• Citrus hand press
• Canning funnel

Ingredients (in order used):

Cucumber Prep

• Oversized cucumbers, ends amply removed (oversized cukes can have more bitterness in the ends), peeled, seeded — 900g flesh, cut into chunks

Fresh Add‑Ins

• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (click for homemade recipe)
• 8 slices ginger (15g)
• ½ head garlic, smashed or sliced
• Handful Thai or purple basil leaves, stems removed
• Optional: onion slices, bean sprouts, cilantro or culantro
• Optional heat: hot pepper or ½ tsp pepper flakes

Pho Spice Blend (toasted + crushed)

Using OldMan Que Huong Pho Spice Seasoning Mix (Click here!):

• Around 1.5 tbsp small spice mix (anise, fennel, coriander, clove, small cinnamon bark pieces)
• Large piece of Ceylon cinnamon bark
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 black cardamom pod (optional)

Or, DIY equivalent if using your own whole spices:

• 1.5 tsp anise
• 1.5 tsp fennel
• 1.5 tsp coriander
• 4 cloves
• 2 medium cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 black cardamom pod (optional)

Brine

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 250g rock sugar (or white granulated sugar), make 300g if you tend to like your pho (or pickles!) fairly sweet
• 30g pickling salt (1.5 tbsp)
• Optional: ¼ tsp calcium chloride
• Optional: ¼ tsp turmeric powder

Directions:

1. Prep the cucumbers — Remove both ends generously to eliminate bitterness, peel the cucumbers, slice lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and cut the flesh into chunks. Pack the 900g of cucumber pieces into a half‑gallon jar.

2. Add fresh aromatics, soft spices — Add lime juice, fish sauce, ginger slices, garlic, basil, and any optional additions (e.g. onion, bean sprouts, cilantro/culantro, or pepper flakes).

3. Toast and crush the pho spices — In a small saucepan over medium heat, toast the hard spices (anise, fennel, coriander, cloves, cinnamon bark, star anise, and optional black cardamom) for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely crush. (Don’t worry about crushing the cinnamon sticks.) Add the crushed spices to the jar.

4. Build the brine — In a medium pot over high heat, combine water, rice vinegar, white vinegar, rock sugar, pickling salt, and optional calcium chloride and turmeric.

5. Dissolve fully — Bring to a boil and stir continuously. Rock sugar takes longer than expected to dissolve; keep boiling and stirring until fully dissolved.

6. Pour the brine — Using a canning funnel, carefully pour the hot brine over the jar contents until everything is submerged. Pour within 1/2″ of the top.

7. Cool and refrigerate — Let the jar cool on the counter until warm, then refrigerate. Once in fridge, allow at least 48 hours for flavors to develop; several days to a week or more is ideal.

Notes:

• Garlic in pho? Traditional pho broth doesn’t usually include garlic, but modern recipes and pho‑inspired dishes often do. I used what was on hand. Onion is a great choice and charred onion is a popular option.
• Herb variations: Cilantro, culantro, or extra basil all fit the pho profile. You could also try mint.
• Heat level: Add fresh chilies or increase pepper flakes for a spicier pickle.
• Black cardamom: Quite potent — great if you love deep pho broth flavor, but optional.
• Vinegar swaps: Rice vinegar adds softness; white vinegar adds brightness; ACV adds fruitiness.
• Crunch factor: Calcium chloride helps maintain crispness but is optional.