Bulalo

Cover the beef shank, cut across with the marrow bone in, with cold water, bring to the boil and let it go for 5 minutes, then tip the water away and rinse both the meat and the pot. This first blanch is what makes the final broth clear.

Quarter the onion. Return the shank to the pot with 3 litres of the water, the onion and the whole peppercorns.

Bring to a bare simmer and skim whatever rises. Never let it boil hard from here — hard boiling emulsifies the fat and clouds the soup.

Simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone and the marrow is soft.

About 15 minutes before the shank is ready, rinse the rice and cook it with the remaining 600 ml of water, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes, then leave it to rest off the heat for 10 minutes.

Season with the fish sauce and salt.

Cut the sweetcorn cobs into 4 cm rounds and halve the potatoes, then add them and cook for 15 minutes.

Cut the cabbage into wedges and add them with the pak choi for the last 5 minutes, just to wilt.

Serve with a bone in each bowl, the spring onions, sliced, on top, the rice alongside and a small spoon for the marrow.