Beef Pho

Ingredients

• 1 Lbeef stock
• 1onion, large; halved
• 1ginger, large knob; roughly sliced
• 1cinnamon stick
• 2star anise
• 1 tspcoriander seeds
• 1/2 tspcloves
• 225 gsirloin steak, sliced paper-thin; freeze for 15 min for easier slicing
• 1 tsppalm sugar, or brown sugar
• 1 tbspfish sauce
• 1 1/2 tbspsoy sauce
• 200 grice noodles, flat, medium-width; cooked per package instructions
• 2scallions, thinly sliced
• 1bird's eye chilies, small; thinly sliced
• basil, Thai basil preferred
• cilantro
• 1lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Add the beef stock and 500 ml cold water to a large saucepan. Place the onion halves and ginger in a dry frying pan over high heat and char on all sides, 3–5 minutes (or under your grill). Add the charred onion and ginger to the stock.

2. 2

   In the same dry pan, toast the cinnamon, star anise, coriander seeds, and cloves over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add to the stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, wrap the steak in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes to firm it up. Slice paper-thin, then refrigerate until needed.

4. 4

   Season the strained broth with palm sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Taste and adjust — it should be savory, slightly sweet, and fragrant.

5. 5

   Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Divide between two deep bowls and top each with the raw sliced beef.

6. 6

   Bring the broth to a rolling boil and ladle it into the bowls over the noodles and beef — the boiling broth will gently cook the beef slices. Top with scallions, chili slices, basil, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.