Bahn Pho' Soup (vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ox tails, beef ribs, or scraps of bottom round steak
- 2 T vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 5-inch piece fresh ginger
- 4 or 5 green onions or 1 yellow onion, cut in half
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- salt and pepper
- MSG
- 1/2 tsp whole cloves
- 12 cup water
- 1/4 cup nam pla (fish sauce) plus more, to taste
- 1lb. bottom round beef, very thinly sliced
- 1 pkg Bahn Pho' rice stick noodles (fettucine style), boiled till done
- 4 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 1 cup chopped scallion
- fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- fresh basil leaves
- lime and lemon wedges
- hoisin sauce
- Asian chili sauce or tabasco sauce
Instructions
Fry meat in oil and garlic in a stock pot. Meanwhile, slice ginger in half lengthwise and brown over a flame or broil till dark brown in areas. Do the same with the green or yellow onion. Add to stock pot along with the rest of the broth ingredients. Boil, uncovered for 1/2 hour. Season with salt and pepper. When broth is done, add 1/4 cup fish sauce. Ladle a few cupfuls of broth into a saucepan on high heat. Add a handful of slices of the raw beef to the hot broth and stir until cooked. In a large bowl, place a handful of bean sprouts, then a large handful of noodles and top with the cooked beef slices and broth from the saucepan. Top with two tablespoons of scallion and cilantro, if desired. Serve with lemon and/or lime wedges, hoisin sauce, additional fish sauce and chili or tabasco sauce.