Vietnamese Pho

Name: Vietnamese Pho
Ingredients: 5 lbs beef bones with marrow; 5 lbs oxtails; 1 lb flank steak; 2 large onions, unpeeled, halved, and studded with 8 cloves; 3 shallots, unpeeled; 2 ounces ginger, unpeeled (1 piece); 8 teaspoons star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; 4 medium parsnips, cut in 2-inch-chunks; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 lb beef sirloin; 2 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped; 2 medium onions, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup hot chili sauce; 1 lb rice noodles (1/4-inch wide (or banh pho)); 1/2 cup nuoc nam (Vietnamese fish-sauce); to taste black pepper, freshly ground; 2 cups fresh bean sprouts; 2 fresh chili peppers, sliced; 2 limes, cut in wedges; 1 bunch of fresh mint; 1 bunch fresh Asian basil or 1 bunch regular basil

23 ingredients

13 steps

Ingredients

5 lbs beef bones with marrow
5 lbs oxtails
1 lb flank steak
2 large onions, unpeeled, halved, and studded with 8 cloves
3 shallots, unpeeled
2 ounces ginger, unpeeled (1 piece)
8 teaspoons star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 medium parsnips, cut in 2-inch-chunks
2 teaspoons salt
1 lb beef sirloin
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup hot chili sauce
1 lb rice noodles (1/4-inch wide (or banh pho))
1/2 cup nuoc nam (Vietnamese fish-sauce)
to taste black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 fresh chili peppers, sliced
2 limes, cut in wedges
1 bunch of fresh mint
1 bunch fresh Asian basil or 1 bunch regular basil

Directions

1

Soak bone overnight in cold water.
2

Place bones, oxtails and flank steak in a large stock pot. Add SALTED BOILING water to cover and bring to a boil. Better yet, boil water, add salt then add bones. Marinate oxtails and flank steak with fish sauce, sugar, black pepper.
3

Cook 5 minutes, drain and rinse pot and bones.
4

Return bones to pot, add 6 quarts COLD WATER and bring to a boil. Skim surface of scum and fat. Stir bones at bottom. After 1 hour of simmering, add oxtails & flank steak.
5

The ginger root, shallots, and onion need to be roasted. The ginger root until the outer layer peels off easily. The onion until outer layer is semi-burnt. About 3 min. Roast the anise seeds in a pan for 2 min. Add to broth while waiting to boil.
6

Meanwhile, slice beef sirloin against grain into paper-thin slices, about 2-by-2 inches. Slice flank steak the same way; that is after they are cooked for about 1 hour.
7

Set aside. In a small bowl, combine scallions, cilantro, and half the sliced onions.
8

Place remaining onions in another bowl and mix in hot chili sauce. Soak rice noodles in water. When broth is ready, discard bones.
9

Strain broth through a colander lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth into a clean pot. Add fish sauce and bring to a boil.
10

Reduce heat to simmer.
11

In another pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
12

Add noodles and drain immediately.
13

Do not overcook noodles