Time and effort-wise, Vietnam Pho Bo is not for the faint-hearted. It involves several processes and a lot of ingredients, but the results are well worthwhile: spicy and fragrant from chillies and herbs, with different textures from two cuts of beef (slow braised rump steak; barely poached strips of fillet) and a long, deep flavour-packed finish. Its a show-stopper.
Ive adapted this recipe from Simon Caves excellent Manly Food cookbook, but reproduce Simons original below.
He writes: Pho is Veitnams national dish, obsession, subject of poetry, and often described as the soul of the nation. Served by street vendors, it is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is a great restorative.
Pho Bo, with beef, is originally from Saigon and is Simons favourite. Mine too, now!
Serves 4-6
For the stock
20g fresh root ginger
2 shallots
3 star anise
1 black cardamom pop
1 x 3cm cinnamon stick
600g raw beef bones
3 cloves
2 tbsp fish sauce
250g beef rump
30g rock, palm or brown sugar
For the Pho
100g beef fillet, sliced very thinly
400g dried rice noodles
60g each of fresh mint and coriander
2 spring onions, sliced
2 red chillies, finely chopped
2 limes, cut into quarters
1. First char the ginger and shallots, either under a ver hot grill or, as Ive done, over the open flame on a gas hob. Cut, peel or wash away the blackened outer layers.
2. Roughly crush the star anise and cardamom and put them in a piece of muslin with the cinnamon and cloves, then tie securely.
3. Mix the sliced raw beef fillet with a little of the ginger.
4. Rinse the beef bones and put them in a large pan with 3 litres cold water. Bring to the boil and cook briskly, skimming regularly for about 10 mins.
5. Add the ginger and shallots, spices, fish sauce and beef rump. Reduce the heat and simmer very gentler for about 3 hours.
6. Remove the spices and bones and discard them. Remove the beef rump and set it aside to dry.
7. Skim the stock again if necessary and season with salt and pepper if needed. Keep the stock hot but be careful not to let it reduce too much.
8. Slice some of the rump into bite-sized pieces.
9. Cook the dried noodles according to packet instructions, approx. 4 mins in boiling water.
10. Put herbs, chillies and spring onions in a serving bowl.
11. Now add the cooked and raw meat.
12. Add the noodles and pour over the stock to cover (if you dont like your meat too rare, blanch it in the hot stock for a couple of minutes first).
13. Serve with fresh lime wedges on the side.
