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