Hanoi Beef And Rice-noodle Soup (pho Bac) Recipe
Yield: 4 servingsRecipe by luhu.jp
Ingredients:
Stephen Ceideburg,
5 lbs: Beef bones with marrow,
5 lbs: Oxtails,
2 lbs: Short rib plate, or 1 lb flank steak
2 large: Onions, unpeeled, halved and studded with 8 whole cloves
3: Shallots, unpeeled
2 ounce: Fresh ginger root, unpeeled, in one piece
8: Star anise,
1: Cinnamon stick,
4 medium: Parsnips, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 tsp: Salt,
1 lbs: Beef sirloin,
2: Scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp: Shredded coriander,
2 medium: Onions, sliced paper-thin
1/4 cup: Hot chili sauce, tuong ot or sriracha sauce
1 lbs: 1/4-inch-wide dried rice sticks, banh pho
1/2 cup: Nuoc mam, Vietnamese fish sauce
Freshly ground black pepper,
ACCOMPANIMENTS:,
2 cup: Fresh bean sprouts,
2: Fresh red chile peppers, sliced
2: Limes, cut into wedges
1 bunch: Of fresh mint, separated into leaves
1 bunch: Fresh Asian basil or regular fresh basil, separated into leaves
Directions:
This sublime recipe comes from my mother, a native of Hanoi. She always
made the beef stock in large quantities--enough for at least 3 meals--and
froze it in batches until needed.
NOTE: In order to cut the beef into paper-thin slices, freeze the pieces
of meat for 30 minutes before slicing.
The night before, clean the bones under cold running water and soak
overnight in a pot with water to cover at room temperature. (This will
help loosen the impurities inside the bones. When heat is applied, these
impurities are released and come to the top much faster and can be removed,
therefore, producing a clear broth.) Place the beef bones, oxtails and
short rib plate in a large stockpot. Add water to cover and bring to a
boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse the pot and the bones. Return the
bones to the pot and add 6 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Skim the
surface to remove the foam and fat. Stir the bones in the bottom of the pot
from time to time to free the impurities. Continue skimming until the foam
ceases to rise. Add 3 quarts more water and bring to a boil. Skim off all
the residue that forms on the top. Turn the heat to low and simmer.
Meanwhile, char the clove-studded onions, shallots and ginger directly over
a gas burner or under the broiler until they release their fragrant odors.
Tie the charred vegetables, star anise and cinnamon stick in a double
thickness of dampened cheesecloth. Add the spice bag, parsnips and salt to
the simmering broth. Simmer for 1 hour. Remove the short rib plates. Pull
the meat away from the bones. Reserve the meat and return the bones to the
pot. Simmer the broth, uncovered, for 4 to 5 hours. Keep an eye on it; as
the liquid boils away, add enough fresh water to cover the bones.
Meanwhile, slice the beef sirloin against the grain into paper-thin slices,
roughly 2 by 2 inches in size. Slice the reserved short rib meat
paper-thin. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the scallions, coriander
and half of the slice onions. Place the remaining sliced onions in a small
bowl and stir in the hot chili sauce. Blend well. Soak the rice sticks in
warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. When the broth is ready,
remove and discard all of the bones. Strain the broth through a strainer or
colander lined with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth into a clean
pot. Add the fish sauce and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and
keep the broth at a bare simmer. In another pot, bring 4 quarts of water to
a boil. Drain the noodles, then drop them in the boiling water. Drain
immediately. Divide the noodles among 4 large soup bowls. Top the noodles
with the sliced meats. Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Ladle the broth
directly over the meat in each bowl (the boiling broth will cook the raw
beef instantly). Garnish with the scallion mixture and freshly ground black
pepper. Serve the onions in hot chili sauce and the accompaniments on the
side. Each diner will add these ingredients as desired. From "The Foods of
Vietnam" by Nicole Rauthier. Stewart, Tabori & Chang. 1989.
Source from luhu.jp
made the beef stock in large quantities--enough for at least 3 meals--and
froze it in batches until needed.
NOTE: In order to cut the beef into paper-thin slices, freeze the pieces
of meat for 30 minutes before slicing.
The night before, clean the bones under cold running water and soak
overnight in a pot with water to cover at room temperature. (This will
help loosen the impurities inside the bones. When heat is applied, these
impurities are released and come to the top much faster and can be removed,
therefore, producing a clear broth.) Place the beef bones, oxtails and
short rib plate in a large stockpot. Add water to cover and bring to a
boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse the pot and the bones. Return the
bones to the pot and add 6 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Skim the
surface to remove the foam and fat. Stir the bones in the bottom of the pot
from time to time to free the impurities. Continue skimming until the foam
ceases to rise. Add 3 quarts more water and bring to a boil. Skim off all
the residue that forms on the top. Turn the heat to low and simmer.
Meanwhile, char the clove-studded onions, shallots and ginger directly over
a gas burner or under the broiler until they release their fragrant odors.
Tie the charred vegetables, star anise and cinnamon stick in a double
thickness of dampened cheesecloth. Add the spice bag, parsnips and salt to
the simmering broth. Simmer for 1 hour. Remove the short rib plates. Pull
the meat away from the bones. Reserve the meat and return the bones to the
pot. Simmer the broth, uncovered, for 4 to 5 hours. Keep an eye on it; as
the liquid boils away, add enough fresh water to cover the bones.
Meanwhile, slice the beef sirloin against the grain into paper-thin slices,
roughly 2 by 2 inches in size. Slice the reserved short rib meat
paper-thin. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the scallions, coriander
and half of the slice onions. Place the remaining sliced onions in a small
bowl and stir in the hot chili sauce. Blend well. Soak the rice sticks in
warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. When the broth is ready,
remove and discard all of the bones. Strain the broth through a strainer or
colander lined with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth into a clean
pot. Add the fish sauce and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and
keep the broth at a bare simmer. In another pot, bring 4 quarts of water to
a boil. Drain the noodles, then drop them in the boiling water. Drain
immediately. Divide the noodles among 4 large soup bowls. Top the noodles
with the sliced meats. Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Ladle the broth
directly over the meat in each bowl (the boiling broth will cook the raw
beef instantly). Garnish with the scallion mixture and freshly ground black
pepper. Serve the onions in hot chili sauce and the accompaniments on the
side. Each diner will add these ingredients as desired. From "The Foods of
Vietnam" by Nicole Rauthier. Stewart, Tabori & Chang. 1989.
Source from luhu.jp