Vietnamese recipes: Pho soup ( noodle and beef soup)

Pho soup ( Noodle and Beef soup)

A Vietnamese dish consisting of broth, noodles made from rice, a few herbs, and meat.
It is a popular street dish, and the specialty of several restaurants.
The two main varieties are chicken pho and beef pho. There is also Saigon-style pho (sweetened) and Hanoi-style pho (no sugar).
This soup is one of the national dishes of Vietnam and can also be enjoyed as a vegetarien noodle soup which i will also give you the recipe for.


Serves: 16 portions

Ingredients:

1 pound 1/4 inch rice noodles

2 bunches scallions, sliced thin

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped

1/2 cup basil, approximately a whole fresh plants if possible

1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts

3 large limes, cut into wedges and seeds removed

Red Chile paste or sliced fresh hot chilies

3/4 pounds filet mignon, trimmed of fat and sliced very thin

Step 1:

 

Put the oxtails into a large stockpot and add enough water so all the bones  are covered.

Bring to a full boil then lower the heat to a rapid simmer. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.

 

 

Step 2:

Put the ginger and onion halves on a baking sheet and grill them until lightly blackened, not burned.  Turn them over halfway through cooking.

When cooked on both sides leave to cool.When cool enough to handle, rinse the onion and ginger under running water, and use a knife to scrape away some of the charred surface.

 

 Step 3:

 

 Cut the ginger into 3 pieces and add these together with the onion halves into the simmering broth, along with 1 tablespoon salt and the fish sauce.

 

 

Step 4:

 

 

Add the star anise, cloves and cinnamon stick in a small fryingpan and toast them on top of a stove burner over medium heat. Turn the spices a couple of times until they're slightly darkened and until you smell their aroma.

Add the toasted spices and fennel seeds in a small square of double thick cheesecloth or any other well draining fabric and tie the bundle with a long piece of string.

Add the spice bundle and the bay leaves to the broth, tying the end of the string to the pan handle for easy retrieval.

 

 

Step 5:

 

 

Let the broth simmer, uncovered, stering occasionally.

After 4 hours of simmering, remove the spice bundle, onion, bay leaves and ginger from the pan and trow away.

Remove the oxtails from the pot and set aside. Let the broth continue to simmer on a low heat.

 

Step 6:

 

 

When the meat is cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bones.

Put the mea and return the bones to the broth.

Continue simmering, until the broth is rich and tasty, around 1 hour should be enough.

 

 

Step 7:

 

 

Taste your broth and add more salt or fish sauce as needed.

While your broth is simmering away you can soak the rice noodles in cold water for around 30 minutes.

 

 

Step 8:

 

 

Arrange the sliced scallions, cilantro, parsley, basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and chiles on a platter in separate piles.

 

 

Step 9 :

Bring a large pan of water to a boil and add the drained rice noodles.

Give the noodles a quick stir and cook until tender but firm. Rice noodles can quickly become like elastic so do not over cook.

Now drain your noodles.

 

 

Step 10:

 

 

Warm 6 large bowls by rinsing them with hot water and divide the noodles over the bowls.

Right before serving, return the broth to a full boil.

Arrange the slices of raw filet and pieces of cooked oxtail meat over the noodles in each bowl. Carefully add your boiling broth to your bowls,the raw beef should be submerged in the broth.

                                                                      Serve while hot

 

 

Now for all you Vegetarians, Vegetarian Pho soup:

Ingredients:

 

- 1 large onion, peeled and halved
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger root, peel and chop
- 3 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 4 cups unsalted vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped

Garnishes

- 1/2 onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 chile pepper sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup bean sprouts
- Large handful of herbs: cilantro, Thai basil, culantro herb etc.
- Hoisin sauce

 

 

Step 1:

 

 

Char onion and ginger over an open flame (holding with tongs) or directly under a gril until slightly blackened, around 5 minutes on each side should be enough.

Rinse with water and use knife to take of worse of blackened skin.

Step 2:


In a large pan, dry roast cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander over medium-low heat, make sure this doesn't burn.When you can smell the spices, add vegetable stock, soy sauce, carrots, and charred onion and ginger.



Step 3:

Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for around 30 minutes.
While broth is simmering, place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. leave these to soak for 20-30 minutes or until tender.


Step 4:

Drain your noodles and divide them over your bowls.
Strain your broth and keep hot, arrange  your toppings over noodles. Add about 2 cups of broth into each bowl.
Serve with garnishes on the side if you wish.

Topping tips:


- Fried or baked tofu
- Bean curd skin, or seitan Mushrooms
- Vegetables such as bok choy, napa cabbage, or broccoli


While broth is simmering, prepare toppings as desired. Slice and cook tofu, lightly steam or blanch vegetables etc.
Toppings can be unseasoned or only lightly seasoned so as not to interfere with the flavor of your broth.
 

 

 

Now the Vietnamese would say " ăn ngon miệng nhé" which means;
                                    

                                                        "Enjoy your meal"

And where in the world can we find Vietnam?

 

 

 

 

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