This beef pho is simple to prepare and scintillating to eat: you’ll sigh when it’s done!
Beef pho
Ingredients
- 200g dried rice noodles
- 1,5 litres beef stock or consommé
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 cardamom pod
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 200g beef fillet, thinly sliced
- 250ml (1 cup) basil leaves
- 250ml (1 cup) bean sprouts
- 2 small red chillies, seeded and sliced
- fish sauce, to serve
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand until cooked, about 6 – 8 minutes. Drain and divide between 4 serving bowls.
Place the stock, cinnamon, star anise and cardamom in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
Top the noodles with the onion and beef and pour over the stock. Top with the basil, sprouts and chilli. Spoon over fish sauce to serve.
Notes
This traditional Vietnamese soup is served with paper-thin beef slices, which cook in the hot stock. To get really thin slices, wrap the fillet in plastic wrap and roll tightly into a cylinder. Place in the freezer until just firm, about 30 minutes. Use a large, sharp knife to slice the beef.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
