Vietnamese Phở Bò

Method

1. 1

   Char the aromatics

   Over a high gas flame or under a hot grill, char the onion and ginger for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until deeply browned in patches and fragrant.

2. 2

   Toast the spices

   In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the star anise, cinnamon and cloves for 2 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant.

3. 3

   Blanch the bones

   Put the beef bones in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones and pot under cold water until clean.

4. 4

   Simmer the broth

   Return the bones to the pot with 3 litres fresh water, brisket, charred onion and ginger, toasted spices, fish sauce, salt and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.

5. 5

   Simmer gently

   Cook uncovered over low heat for 2 hours, skimming the surface as needed.

6. 6

   Cook the brisket

   After 2 hours, lift out the brisket and check it is tender when pierced with a knife. Rest it for 10 minutes, then slice thinly.

7. 7

   Cook the noodles

   Cook the rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water over high heat for the time on the packet, usually 4 to 6 minutes, until just tender. Drain and rinse briefly with warm water to stop them sticking.

8. 8

   Season the broth

   Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot and discard the solids. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust with fish sauce or salt if needed.

9. 9

   Assemble the bowls

   Divide the noodles, sliced brisket and raw sliced sirloin among four warm bowls. Bring the broth to a full boil over high heat for 2 minutes.

10. 10

    Finish the bowls

    Ladle the broth carefully over the beef so the thin sirloin cooks through in the hot broth; check it is no longer pink and reaches 63°C for food safety.

11. 11

    Serve

    Top each bowl with beansprouts, Thai basil, coriander, spring onions and chilli. Serve straight away with lime wedges to squeeze over the soup.

Tips

• Keep the broth barely bubbling for a clearer result.
• Take the aromatics off the heat once fragrant so the spices do not turn bitter, and avoid letting the onion and ginger burn black all over.
• The broth should taste savoury and aromatic, as the noodles and herbs will soften its intensity.

Swaps

• Use flat-leaf parsley instead of coriander.
• Use a mild red chilli or omit it if you prefer less heat.

Storing

Refrigerate the broth and cooked brisket separately for up to 3 days; reheat the broth until piping hot and assemble with freshly cooked noodles and toppings.