Phở Bò

Broth

• beef marrow and knuckle bones2 kg
• beef brisket800 g
• onions2
• fresh ginger80 g
• star anise6
• cinnamon1 stick
• whole cloves4
• coriander seeds1 tbsp
• fennel seeds1 tsp
• black cardamom pods (optional)1
• rock sugar30 g
• fish sauce3–4 tbsp
• salt1 tbsp
• water5 l

Bowls

• flat rice noodles500 g
• beef sirloin300 g
• onions1
• spring onions4

To serve

• fresh coriander1 bunch
• Thai basil1 bunch
• bean sprouts200 g
• limes2
• red chillies (optional)2
• hoisin sauce (optional)
• sriracha (optional)

Broth

1. 01

   Put the bones in a large stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to a hard boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then tip everything into the sink and rinse each bone under the tap, rubbing off any grey scum. Wash out the pot too. This blanching is what makes the finished broth clear, so do not skip it.

2. 02

   Halve the onions and the ginger lengthways, then char them, cut side down, in a dry heavy pan over high heat or under a hot grill for 8 to 10 minutes, until blackened in patches and smelling sweet. Rinse off the loose burnt skin and set aside.

3. 03

   Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cardamom in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant. Tie them in a piece of muslin or put them in a tea infuser so they are easy to lift out later.

4. 04

   Return the rinsed bones to the clean pot with the brisket and the 5 litres of cold water. Bring slowly to a bare simmer and skim off any foam that rises. Add the charred onion and ginger, the bag of spices, the rock sugar and the salt.

5. 05

   Hold the broth at a bare simmer, with only the occasional bubble breaking the surface, for 3 hours, lifting out the spice bag after 1 hour. A rolling boil will emulsify the fat and turn the broth cloudy. Top up with hot water if the bones are no longer covered.

6. 06

   Lift the brisket out after about 2 hours, once a skewer slides in easily. Drop it into a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes so it stays pale, then chill it until firm enough to slice thinly across the grain.

7. 07

   Lift out the charred onion and ginger at the end, then strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Skim the fat from the top, leaving a little for flavour. You should have around 3 litres.

8. 08

   Season the strained broth with the fish sauce and more salt or rock sugar until it tastes a shade stronger than you would want to drink on its own. The noodles and garnishes will soften it in the bowl.

Bowls

9. 09

   While the broth simmers, freeze the sirloin for 30 minutes, then slice it 1 to 2 mm thick across the grain. Slice the chilled brisket thinly across the grain, the onion paper-thin, the spring onions finely and the red chillies into rings, and cut the limes into wedges.

10. 10

    Cook or soak the rice noodles as the packet directs, then drain and rinse them. Have everything laid out, because the bowls come together in 1 minute once the broth is boiling.

11. 11

    Divide the noodles between six deep bowls. Lay the sliced brisket, the raw sirloin, the paper-thin onion and the spring onion on top. Keep the raw beef in a single layer so it cooks evenly.

12. 12

    Bring the seasoned broth to a full rolling boil and ladle it straight over each bowl, aiming at the raw beef so it turns from red to pink as the broth hits it.

13. 13

    Serve at once with the coriander, Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges and red chillies on a plate in the middle of the table, and hoisin sauce and sriracha in small dishes for dipping the meat rather than stirring into the broth.