VIETNAMESE “PHO” RICE NOODLE SOUP WITH BEEF

• Broth: Beef bones with the remaining meat, fat and tendon entirely removed; if shank is used, cut into 2 pieces and remove all marrow. Place the bones into a stockpot in the proportion of 1kg bones to 5 liters water, and boil gently. Simmer while constantly skimming of any scum from the surface until the broth remains 2 – 2.5 liters.
• After having got the broth, sieve and then remove the bones. Add the following to each of 5 liters of the broth: 1 tablespoon sea salt + 200 g shallots + a 20-gram spice bag made of cheese-cloth, containing 5g cinnamon + 10g toasted cardamon + 3g toasted anise + 2g toasted clove (this proportion of these spices depends on chef’s taste). Simmer and add more boiling water if needed.
• Beef sirloin set aside. Other kinds of meat: beef chuck should be cut into hand-sized slices, 6-8 cm thick; tendon into pieces; oxtail bones with skin cut into the 20-cm pieces. These kinds of meat are mixed with 2 tablespoons sea salt + 1 teaspoon pepper + 1 teaspoon chopped onion, and set aside for one hour before simmering in another stockpot until these meats are tender. Cut them into thin slices.
• Garnishes: Scallions, cilantro, and onion all chopped (scallion bulbs may be included), ginger, fish sauce, lime, fresh chilies, and the accompanying herbs, such as: bean sprouts, saw-leaf herb, rice paddy herb, mint, etc; and rice sticks (noodles).
• Serving: Heating about 40 – 60 g noodles by dipping briefly in boiling water. Place a few slices of beef chuck and tendon onto the noodles.
• Raw beef noodle soup: Cut 20 – 30g beef sirloin into slices; make the sirloin slices become tender by beating it with the blunt side of a knife and then press the slices against the chopping-board into thinner slices. Place them onto the noodles together with 2 scallion bulbs and 1 piece of young ginger bruised with the flat side of a knife. Ladle a half cup of broth slowly onto the raw sirloin slices to make them cooked, and then ladle a half more cup of broth into the bowl. Garnish with pepper and the chopped scallions and cilantro.
• Cooked beef noodle soup: Place the meats into the ladle containing 1/3 broth cup, and shake the ladle gently to cook the meats well, then pour into the bowl. Add more broth.