Pho and the Vietnamese-American Restaurant

Ingredients

• For the broth
• 2 kg beef bones, knuckles, marrow bones, and oxtail, mixed
• 100 g fresh ginger, halved lengthways, charred on an open flame or under a broiler until blackened
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved, charred on an open flame or under a broiler until blackened
• 3–4 star anise, tied in a cheesecloth sachet with the remaining spices
• 1 cinnamon stick, in the cheesecloth sachet
• 3–4 whole cloves, in the cheesecloth sachet
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, in the cheesecloth sachet
• 60 ml fish sauce, or to taste
• For the bowl
• 400 g flat dried rice noodles, banh pho, medium width; soaked and cooked according to packet instructions
• 400 g beef sirloin or eye of round, sliced paper-thin against the grain; refrigerate until service
• Herb plate
• 1 bunch Thai basil, stems trimmed
• 1 bunch cilantro, left whole
• 200 g bean sprouts, raw
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced into rounds
• 60 ml hoisin sauce, served in a small dish at the table
• 60 ml sriracha, served in a small dish at the table

Method

1. 1
   Place the beef bones in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a full boil. Drain the bones and rinse under cold running water, scrubbing away any grey matter. Return the blanched bones to the cleaned pot and cover with fresh cold water — approximately 4 litres. This blanching stage is essential for a clear broth.
2. 2
   Halve the ginger and onions and char them directly over an open flame or under a broiler, turning, until the cut faces are deeply blackened. Add them to the pot with the bones. Bring the pot to a steady simmer over medium heat. During the first two hours, skim the surface constantly with a ladle, removing all grey foam and fat as it rises. The broth must be clear: a thin, opaque surface signals that skimming has been insufficient.
3. 3
   Once the broth runs clear, add the cheesecloth sachet containing the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and coriander seeds. Simmer for exactly 1 hour, then remove and discard the sachet. Longer steeping will render the spices bitter — this is where the dish lives or dies.
4. 4
   Continue simmering the broth, uncovered and at a gentle, steady simmer, for a total of 6 to 12 hours from when it first came to a simmer. The finished broth should range from clear to deep amber and carry deep, rounded flavour with no single spice dominant. Season to taste with fish sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.
5. 5
   Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions. Divide the cooked noodles among four large, warmed bowls. Arrange the paper-thin raw beef slices over the noodles in a single layer. Bring the strained broth to a rolling boil.
6. 6
   Ladle the boiling broth directly over the raw beef and noodles in each bowl. The heat of the broth cooks the beef at the table: the slices should turn from red to pale pink within seconds of the broth being poured. Serve immediately, with the herb plate — Thai basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced jalapeño, hoisin, and sriracha — set at the table for each diner to dress their own bowl.