Phở Bò (Beef rice noodle soup)
Ingredients
*For the broth*
2 kg beef bones marrow and knuckle
1 onion peeled
fish sauce, salt, sugar, stock powder
*For the PHO aroma*
1 onion unpeeled and halved
2 knobs ginger (thumb size), sliced
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
3 black cardamom
1 tsp cloves
1 kg dried flat rice noodles (Pho noodles cooked as per instructions)
100 g spring onion chopped
1 onion very thinly sliced and soaked in ice water
300 g beef eye of round/ sirloin – thinly sliced.
*Garnishes*
Fresh herbs: Asian basil, coriander,
1 lime cut into wedges
500 g bean sprouts blanched
Instructions
Place bones in a large pot filled with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes. The impurities will rise to the top. Then dump out the whole pot and rinse the bones well under running water. Wash the pot clean. This is a very important step to keep the broth clear and it will save your time skimming off the scum later.
Place the parboiled and rinsed bones back to a large stockpot and fill with water. Add 1 peeled onion, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tbsp sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer under medium-low heat. Occasionally skim off the scum and the fat. Do not cover the pot, otherwise, the broth may lose its clarity.
To create the PHO aroma, grill the rest of the onion, ginger slices, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and black cardamoms in the oven slightly charred on both sides. Peel the grilled onion and scrape off the charred part. Try to keep the stem and not let the onion layers fall apart. Wrap the small spices in a piece of cheesecloth, and place them into the stockpot.
Remove onions from the pot after 1hr
Continue to simmer the broth for 1-2hrs adding more water if the broth reduces.
Season to your taste.
Soak dried flat rice noodle "banh pho" in water for 30 minutes to soften. Blanch noodles in hot water for 10-15 seconds. Drain and transfer the noodles to a serving bowl.
To assemble: place cooked noodles to occupy one-third of the bowl. Place the raw sliced beef on top, garnish with the thinly sliced onion, and chopped spring onion. Then ladle the hot soup over to fill the bowl. Serve with garnishes.
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