Phở

Ingredients

  • 2kg Oxtail (3cm pieces)

  • 4 Tablespoons Salt

  • 1 Unpeeled Garlic Bulb

  • 4 Large Unpeeled Onions

  • 150g Unpeeled Ginger

  • 2kg Beef Brisket

  • 185ml Fish Sauce

  • 80g Rock Sugar

  • 1.6kg Fresh Rice Noodles – 200g per person

  • 400g Trimmed Sirloin, thinly sliced

  • 4 Spring Onions, sliced

  • Black Pepper, freshly ground

  • Coriander Sprigs

  • 1 Cup Bean Sprouts

  • 1 Bunch Asian Basil

  • 2 Bird’s eye Chilies, sliced

  • 1 Lemon, cut into wedges

  • 1 Lime, cut into wedges

  • Spice Bouch
  • ½ Tablespoon Coriander Seeds

  • ½ Tablespoon Cumin

  • ½ TablespoonFennel Seeds

  • 8 Whole Cloves

  • 5 Star Anise

  • 2 Cassia Bark, 10cm in length

  • 1 Tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns

  • 40cm Square Piece Muslin Cloth

Directions

  • In a large pot, submerge the oxtail in cold water, add 3 Tablespoons of the salt and soak for 1 hour, then drain.
  • Spice Pouch: Dry roast each ingredient separately in a frying pan over medium heat until fragrant. Cool, then coarsely grind. Add the ground spices to the Muslin Square and the up tightly in a knot. Set aside
  • Heat Barbecue grill or char grill pan over medium-high heat and grill the unpeeled garlic, onions and ginger evenly for about 15 minutes in total intil all sides are blackened.
  • Peel the blackened skins and discard them, chop roughly.
  • Put the Oxtail, Beef Bones, Brisket and 6 litres of cold water in a stockpot and bring to the boil.While the stock is boiling, constantly skim any impurities off the surface for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
  • Add the fish sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, rock sugar, garlic, onions, ginger and spice pouch.
  • Cover and simmer for 4 hours, or until the stock has reduced to almost half
  • Strain the stock through a muslin cloth. Remove the brisket, set aside to cool, then thinly slice
  • Blanch each portion of noodlesin boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain, then transfer to a serving bowl
  • Place four slices of brisket on top of the noodles, followed by four slices of raw sirloin. Pour over the hot stock to cover the noodles and beef
  • Garnish with 1 tablespoon of spring onion, a pinch of black pepper and a coriander sprig to each bowl
  • At the table, add Chilli, Bean Sprouts, Basil and a squeeze of Lemon or Lime