Phở Bò (Beef Pho)

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Difficulty level: Hard

Ingredients:

• 3 large beef bones

• 4L water

• 2 peeled onions (1 whole, 1 cut in half)

• 1 TBSP sugar

• 1 TBSP salt

• 2-3” knob of ginger

• Pho spices (with mesh spice bag)

• 1 pound beef round cut

• Packet of fresh pho noodles

• 1 small bunch Asian basil

• ½ pound bean sprouts

• 1 lime

• Condiments: Hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce

Instructions:

• Wash the beef bones. Place the beef bones in a pot of water and boil for about 10 minutes to remove impurities

• Drain the beef bones

• Fill a pot with the beef bones and 4L water. Bring to boil

• Add 1 whole peeled onion, 1 TBSP sugar and 1 TBSP salt to the pot

• Cut ginger into thick strips

• Cut peeled onion in half

• In a pan, fry the onion on the flat side, ginger on the flat side, and the pho spices (cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, coriander seeds, cloves) until charred

• Using a knife, scrap off the charred sections of the onion and ginger

• Place pho spices into mesh spice bag and tie it tightly so none of the pieces fall out in the broth

• Place onion, ginger and bag of pho spices into pot

• Simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours and then remove onion halves (keep whole onion in the pot)

• Add 2 pho seasoning cubes

• Simmer for another 10 minutes and then remove all the solid ingredients

• Finely slice up beef round cut

• Boil fresh pho noodles as per packet instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and place noodles in individual bowls

• Place a layer of the finely sliced rare beef on top of the noodles

• Pour very hot pho broth on top of the beef and noodles. Make sure the beef is fully covered so that it cooks the rare beef

Tip: If you prefer well cooked beef, place the beef in the pho broth while it is simmering for a few minutes

• Serve with bean sprouts, Asian basil, lime, sriracha and hoisin sauce to taste