Vietnamese Beef Soup With Star Anise Recipes

PHO BO: VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• For the beef stock: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the oxtails, neck bones, and shank bones. Return the water to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Drain into colander and rinse the bones thoroughly under cold running water. Rinse the pot and return the oxtails, neck bones, and shank bones to the pot. Add water, slowly bring to a simmer, and cook for at least 6 hours. Meanwhile, roast the onion and ginger on a rimmed baking sheet for 40 minutes.
• Add the roasted onion and ginger to the simmering stock, along with the cinnamon, star anise, clove, cardamom pod, pepper, and palm sugar. Add the beef brisket and cook for 30-45 minutes; remove and allow the stock to continue to simmer, skimming off any scum that rises to the top. After 6-8 hours, remove pot from the heat and use a slotted spoon to discard the large solids. Strain the stock into soup pot through a fine-mesh sieve. (Note: To store, let cool completely; then transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes 6 quarts.)
• For the soup: Thinly slice the top round and use the back of your knife to tenderize the meat slices; set aside. Slice the cooked brisket against the grain in thin slices; set aside. Blanch the bean sprouts in hot water; set aside. Season the stock with a few pinches of salt and fish sauce to taste.
• Warm a serving bowl in hot water. Place the dried rice noodles in fine-mesh sieve; submerge the sieve in hot water and gently stir with tongs, 5-10 seconds. Place the cooked noodles in the warmed serving bowl. Top with brisket; then add a few slices of the top round and some chopped scallions and cilantro. Ladle the hot broth into the bowl, being careful not to submerge the top round. Serve immediately, accompanied by optional garnishes.

AUTHENTIC PHO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place beef bones on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until browned, about 1 hour.
• Place onion on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until blackened and soft, about 45 minutes.
• Place bones, onion, ginger, salt, star anise, and fish sauce in a large stockpot and cover with 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for 6 to 10 hours. Strain the broth into a saucepan and set aside.
• Place rice noodles in large bowl filled with room temperature water and allow to soak for 1 hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and after the noodles have soaked, place them in the boiling water for 1 minute. Bring stock to a simmer.
• Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls; top with sirloin, cilantro, and green onion. Pour hot broth over the top. Stir and let sit until the beef is partially cooked and no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and chile-garlic sauce on the side.

PHO (VIETNAMESE BEEF AND RICE-NOODLE SOUP)

Steps:

• Put the oxtails into a large stockpot and add enough water to cover the bones by 4 inches (about 2 gallons). Bring to a full boil and then lower the heat to a rapid simmer. Skim the scum that rises to the surface.
• Meanwhile put the ginger and onion halves on a baking sheet and char them under the broiler until lightly blackened, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn them over halfway through cooking. When cool enough to handle, rinse the onion and ginger under running water, using a knife to scrape away some of the charred surface. Cut the ginger into 3 pieces and toss it and the onion halves into the simmering broth, along with 1 tablespoon salt and the fish sauce.
• Put the star anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a small skillet and toast them on top of a stove burner over medium heat. Turn the spices a couple of times until they're slightly darkened (3 to 4 minutes) and until you smell their aroma. Put the toasted spices and fennel seeds in a small square of double thick cheesecloth and tie the bundle with a long piece of kitchen twine. Add the spice bundle and the bay leaves to the broth, tying the end of the twine to the pot handle for easy retrieval.
• Let the broth simmer, uncovered, skimming occasionally. After 4 hours, remove the spice bundle, onion, bay leaves and ginger from the pot and discard. Remove the oxtails from the pot and set aside. Let the broth continue to simmer. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones. Set the meat aside and return bones to the broth. Continue simmering, uncovered, until the broth is rich and flavorful, about 1 hour. Taste the broth and add more salt or fish sauce as needed.
• Meanwhile, soak the rice noodles in cold water for at least 20 minutes. Arrange the sliced scallions, cilantro, parsley, basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and chiles on a platter in separate piles.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the drained noodles. Give the noodles a quick stir and cook until tender but firm, about 1 minute. Rice noodles can quickly become gummy, so don't let them overcook. Drain the noodles. Warm 6 large bowls by rinsing the with hot water and divide the noodles among the bowls.
• Just before serving, return the broth to a full boil. Arrange the slices of raw filet and pieces of cooked oxtail meat over the noodles in each bowl. Carefully ladle the boiling broth over all; the raw beef should be submerged in the broth. Serve immediately, along with the platters of garnish.

VIETNAMESE BEEF SOUP

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water to boil. Remove from heat. Add noodles to pot; let stand until tender and pliable, about 15 minutes. Drain. Using scissors, cut noodles into 2-inch lengths. Transfer to bowl.
• Combine beef broth, sliced onions, sliced ginger, fish sauce, garlic, star anise and whole cloves in heavy large Dutch oven and bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes. Strain broth into large bowl; discard solids. (Noodles and broth can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate. Bring noodles to room temperature before continuing.) Return beef broth to Dutch oven and bring to boil. Remove beef broth from heat. Mix steak slices into broth (the hot broth will cook steak slices).
• Place noodles, soup, sliced lettuce, sliced green onions and lemon wedges in center of table. Spoon noodles, steak slices and broth into large soup bowls, then top with generous amounts of sliced lettuce and green onions and squeeze in lemon juice.

VIETNAMESE BEEF SOUP WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Combine broth, beef bones, 3 green onions and star anise in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently 3 hours. Remove beef bones and green onions from broth; discard. Season broth with salt and pepper.
• Soak rice stick noodles in bowl filled with enough hot water to cover noodles for 3 minutes. Drain. Using scissors, cut noodles into 4-inch lengths. Slice remaining 5 green onions and place on platter. Arrange cilantro leaves, mint leaves and sliced chili on same platter.
• Bring broth to boil. Add noodles; cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add steak; simmer 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Pass condiments separately.