Pho Bo à la Yen

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 750 g roast beef e.g. breast, boiled beef, veal or soup meat
• 750 g beef leg slice(s)
• 3 liters of water, approx.
• 2 star anise
• 1 large onion(s)
• 500 g rice noodles (ribbon noodles – Banh Pho, 5 mm wide)
• 300 g roast beef or beef fillet
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 1 bunch of mixed Asian herbs (Thai basil, coriander, mint)
• 200 g mung bean sprouts
• 1 small chili pepper(s)
• 1 lemon(s)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• some salt and pepper
• 2 bouillon cubes (Pho bouillon cubes)
• some hoisin sauce

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 4 hours; Total time approx. 5 hours

traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with beef, a bit time-consuming

Rinse the meat and bones and bring to a boil in a large pot with plenty of water (approx. 2-3 liters, the meat must be covered). Simmer over medium heat for two hours, skimming off any foam that forms. Then add the star anise and stock cubes and season with a little salt and pepper. Let the stock simmer for another 1-2 hours. After about 3-4 hours of cooking, remove the meat and bones and season the clear stock with fish sauce, salt, and pepper. The fish sauce may have a strong smell, but it gives the soup its unique/authentic flavor and shouldn’t be used sparingly. Just add a spoonful at a time when seasoning. The end result won’t taste fishy, ​​don’t worry. The less fish sauce you use, the more salt you need, and vice versa. Place the beef fillet or roast beef in the freezer for about half an hour so the meat is slightly frozen. This allows you to cut thinner slices (fine strips). Once the roast has cooled, you can also cut it into even slices. Soak the flat rice noodles in water. Then boil them in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain the water using a sieve, or simply prepare the noodles according to the package instructions. In the meantime, wash the coriander, mint, and Thai basil. Pick off the leaves and chop them finely. Finely slice the chili pepper and spring onions. Peel the onions, halve them, and cut them into wafer-thin strips. Wash the mung bean sprouts. Wash the lemon and cut it into eighths. Once everything is prepared, serve everything. Place the flat rice noodles, sprouts, and cooked beef in large bowls and scatter the herbs, onions, and spring onions on top. Briefly dip the thin strips of beef fillet or roast beef into the hot, almost boiling broth using a sieve (similar to a meat fondue) and then divide them between the prepared bowls. Pour the broth into bowls and serve. At the table, the soup can be refined with lemon juice, hoisin sauce, and chili, if desired. The original recipe calls for a cinnamon stick and roasted ginger to be added during cooking, along with the star anise. But we prefer it without the cinnamon and ginger.