Pho

Prep Time: 30 minutes + 4 hours cook time

Caters To: 8 gobblers

Challenge Level: Expert

From The Pantry:

• 4” nub of ginger, halved
• 2 onions, halved
• 5 – 6 pounds of beef/buff bones, leg and knuckle
• Water as needed
• 1 pound of beef meat, cut into large pieces
• 1 ounce regular sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 pho spice packet (1 cinnamon stick, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 5 whole star anise, 1 cardamom pod, 6 whole cloves in mesh bag)
• 1/2 pound sirloin, sliced as thinly as possible
• 2 pounds rice noodles, cooked
• Handful of mint and cilantro, chopped
• 2 – 3 chilli peppers, sliced
• Sriracha hot sauce
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Cook Away:

1. Add ginger and onions on a baking sheet. Oil on the cut sides and keep for charring in a broiler at high setting. Turn over after charring completely on the cut side. Once both sides are charred, remove from broiler and keep aside.
2. Fill a large pot with cool water and bring to boil. Add beef bones and boil vigorously on high heat for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the water and rinse the bones.
4. Refill the pot with bones and add 6 quarts of water. Bring to boil and leave to simmer. Using a ladle remove any scum that rises to the top.
5. Add the prepared ginger, onion, beef meat, sugar, fish sauce and salt. Now, add the pho spice packet and allow the broth to simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours.
6. Remove the meat and set aside and continue simmering for another 1 and 1/2 hours.
7. Strain the broth and return to low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
8. Once the broth taste is adjusted, shred the beef meat that was set aside.
9. In a bowl add rice noodles, top with sirloin and shredded meat. Ladle hot broth on top and garnish with mint, cilantro, chili peppers, sriracha hot sauce as per taste.

Serve with chopsticks and lime wedges resting on the bowl!

Recipe Courtesy: Steamykitchen.com

Featured Image Courtesy: inspiredtaste.net