Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho)

This full meal Vietnamese beef (sometimes chicken) noodle soup is served with a plate full of fresh garnishes, such as basil leaves, bean sprouts, slice fresh peppers and lemon, as well as various sauces, usually hoisin sauce for sweet, fish sauce for saltiness and chili sauce for spiciness. This allows each individual to season their serving to personal taste. The soup is somewhat unusual, because the meat is either cooked in the bowl or specify medium rare, whereby the beef slices serve separately. The beef is sliced very thin, almost thin enough to see through. The boiling hot broth is poured over the noodles and raw meat. The meat is quickly cooked in the hot broth in the time it takes to garnish the soup.

You can easily find this famous and traditional Vietnamese “Pho” dish at your nearest Asian restaurant area. Happy eating!

Vietnamese “Pho” Recipes

Ingredients
4 quarts beef broth
1 large onion, sliced into rings
8-10 Star Anis (Asian spice that resemble a star shape)
6 slices fresh ginger root
3 diced green onions
1 lemon grass
1 cinnamon stick
3-5 Soup Bones (usually beef)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 pound sirloin tip, cut into thin slices
1/2 pound bean sprouts
1 fresh basil or cilantro leaves
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced into rings
2 limes, cut into wedges
2 (8 ounce) packages dried rice noodles

For taste preference:
Hoisin sauce (sweet)
Hot chili pepper sauce (spicy)
Fish sauce (salty)

Directions:
First Step: Bring a fresh pot of water or beef broth to boil, then add the beef soup bone, and let it simmer, remove any unnecessary foam that float on broth surface.

Secondly: Roast yellow onions and gingers. Then, Add various spices, like peppercorns, star anis, cinnamon, roasted onions and gingers, to the pot of simmer broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 4-5 hours. Remove any unnecessary foam that float on broth surface.
Finally: Arrange bean sprouts and cilantro or basil on a platter with chilies and lime wedges.

Soak the rice noodles in hot water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place equal portions of noodles into large soup bowl, place raw beef slices on top and diced green onions. Ladle hot broth over noodles and beef. Pass platter with extra garnishes and sauces for taste.