Pho Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Pho lives and dies by its broth. A good bowl is built on hours of gentle simmering of bones with roasted onion, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon, until the liquid becomes clear, deep, and filled with warm spices. On top of that come soft, wide rice noodles, paper-thin slices of beef, and a whole mountain of fresh herbs, lime, and chili. The beauty of the dish is that it is served semi-finished: each guest seasons, squeezes, and tastes their way to precisely the bowl they dream of - often with a splash of hoisin and sriracha.

• Cuisine: Vietnam
• Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Roast halved onions and crushed ginger in a dry pan until the cut surfaces are dark. This gives the broth depth and color.
2. Place beef bones, roasted onion and ginger in a large pot with star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves, cover with water, and let it simmer gently for an hour and a half.
3. Strain the broth and season it with fish sauce and a pinch of sugar to make it well-rounded and rich.
4. Soak the rice noodles or cook them briefly according to package directions, then rinse them in cold water to prevent sticking.
5. Slice the beef very thinly against the grain; this is easiest if the meat has been briefly frozen.
6. Divide noodles and raw meat slices into four deep bowls.
7. Pour the boiling hot broth over, so it just barely cooks the thin slices of meat.
8. Serve with lime, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, chili, hoisin, and sriracha on the side, so everyone can build their own bowl.

Tips

• Always roast the onion and ginger first; this simple step gives the broth the smoky depth known from restaurant pho.
• Arrange all toppings separately, so guests can assemble their own bowls.
• Use vegetable broth, mushrooms, and tofu instead of beef for a delicious vegetarian pho.
• Skim off fat and impurities from the broth as it simmers, so it ends up clear and pure in taste.