Beef and Noodle Soup

Name: Beef and Noodle Soup
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6-8
Ingredients: 6 lb. oxtails or meaty beef bones; 2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered; 4 turnips, quartered; 4 whole star anise; 8 cloves; 1 (3") piece fresh ginger, crushed; 1 stick cinnamon; 4 kaffir lime leaves (optional); Vietnamese fish sauce (nýớc mắm); 1 lb. dried flat rice noodles; Vegetable oil; 5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 cups bean sprouts; 2 scallions, thinly sliced; 7 fresh hot red chiles (Thai or serrano), thinly sliced; 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves; 1 cup fresh holy or sweet basil leaves; 1 lime, cut into wedges; 1 ⁄ 2 lb. top sirloin, thinly sliced; Hoisin sauce

Serves
serves 6-8

SAVEUR EDITORS

Vietnamese noodle soup, known as phở (pronounced fuh, with a rising intonation), is a study in texture contrasts.

Ingredients

6 lb. oxtails or meaty beef bones
2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
4 turnips, quartered
4 whole star anise
8 cloves
1 (3") piece fresh ginger, crushed
1 stick cinnamon
4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
Vietnamese fish sauce (nýớc mắm)
1 lb. dried flat rice noodles
Vegetable oil
5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
2 scallions, thinly sliced
7 fresh hot red chiles (Thai or serrano), thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh holy or sweet basil leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
¹⁄₂ lb. top sirloin, thinly sliced
Hoisin sauce

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Instructions

Step 1

For 6–8 cups broth, combine oxtails, onions, turnips, star anise, cloves, ginger, cinnamon stick, lime leaves, and 4 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium, skim foam, and stir in 1 tbsp. fish sauce. Simmer, adding water as needed to cover bones, for 5 hours. Strain and set aside. (Broth improves if refrigerated overnight; skim before heating.)

Step 2

Soak noodles in a bowl of hot water until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, heat 1'' oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and fry until golden, 4–7 minutes; drain on paper towels.

Step 3

Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat. Arrange shallots, bean sprouts, scallions, chiles, cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on a platter. Divide noodles and sirloin between soup bowls, cover with hot broth, then add vegetables and herbs as desired and season to taste with lime, fish sauce, and hoisin sauce.

For 6–8 cups broth, combine oxtails, onions, turnips, star anise, cloves, ginger, cinnamon stick, lime leaves, and 4 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium, skim foam, and stir in 1 tbsp. fish sauce. Simmer, adding water as needed to cover bones, for 5 hours. Strain and set aside. (Broth improves if refrigerated overnight; skim before heating.)
Soak noodles in a bowl of hot water until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, heat 1'' oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and fry until golden, 4–7 minutes; drain on paper towels.
Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat. Arrange shallots, bean sprouts, scallions, chiles, cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on a platter. Divide noodles and sirloin between soup bowls, cover with hot broth, then add vegetables and herbs as desired and season to taste with lime, fish sauce, and hoisin sauce.