Vietnamese-Style Pho with Beef Short Rib
Smoky, rich beef broth, tender short rib, plenty of fresh herbs, and as much chilli as you can handle. Vietnamese-style pho is perfect for winter eating and short ribs are brilliant as they give you tender meat while the bones impart flavour to the broth.
Ingredients
For the broth:
10cm piece ginger
2 onions
1 large piece beef short ribs (approx 5-6 bones), approx 1.3kg
3 star anise
3 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 Tbsp palm or coconut sugar
2 tsp sea salt
To serve:
2 shallots
The cooked beef and stock
375-400g wide rice noodles
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 spring onions, chopped
Fresh herbs such as coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint, or Thai basil
Sliced fresh chilli
Mung bean sprouts
Hoisin sauce
Chilli sauce
Lime wedges
Method
Char the ginger and onions directly over a gas flame, under a grill, or on a barbecue until blackened. When cool enough to handle, scrape off the blackened skin, cut the flesh into rough slices, and set aside.
Cut the short ribs into two pieces and put into a large pot with just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse any scum or residue from the meat and pot (this helps to ensure a clear broth). Return the meat to the pot and add 3 litres of water.
Bring up to the boil over a high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and use a skimmer or ladle to remove any scum that rises. Add the charred ginger and onion, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, palm sugar, and salt. Simmer gently for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Remove the meat and plunge into cold water for 10 minutes. Remove the bones from the meat and discard. Set the meat aside to cool. Skim any excess fat off the stock if you wish, then strain the stock through a piece of cheesecloth into a large bowl. Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.
To serve: Thinly slice the shallots and put into cold water for 10 minutes. Drain before using. Slice the beef thinly across the grain and set aside. Soak the rice noodles in hot water until softened, then drain and rinse.
Heat the stock in a large pot. Add the fish sauce and check the seasoning. Put the spring onions, picked herbs, chilli, bean sprouts, hoisin sauce, chilli sauce, and lime wedges in separate bowls on the table.
Put rice noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water for 5-6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and put into warmed bowls, then ladle in the broth and add the beef slices, shallots, and spring onions. Take to the table and allow everyone to garnish with the remaining ingredients to their own taste.