Vietnamese Beef Rice Noodle Soup Recipe

Vietnamese Beef Rice Noodle Soup Recipe

1.5 kg oxtail*, trimmed of excess fat, chopped

1.5 kg beef brisket (cut into smaller sections, if too large for pan)

2 knobs fresh ginger, bruised

2 onions, unpeeled

7 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks

8 cloves

2 cardamom pods

¼ cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon castor sugar

900 g fresh, 1cm-wide rice noodles*

300 g beef fillet or silverside, very finely sliced

2¼ cups bean sprouts, trimmed

4 scallions, finely sliced

2 handfuls mixed herbs (such as coriander (cilantro) and Thai basil*)

Lime (calamansi) wedges, to serve

Method:

Three-quarters fill a stockpot or large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.  Add oxtail and brisket and boil for 3-4 minutes, then drain.  Rinse meat, then pour 5 liters of water into a clean stockpot.  Add oxtail and brisket and bring to the boil, the reduce heat to low.  Preheat a barbecue or chargrill over medium-high heat.  Cook ginger and onion, turning, then remove each when brown all over.  Add to meat stock along with star anise, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.  Simmer for 2 hours, then remove brisket from stock.  Allow brisket to cool, then slice thinly and set aside.  Simmer the stock for a further hour, occasionally skimming the fat from surface.  Strain the stock through a sieve and discard oxtail and spices.  Return stock to the cleaned pot and add the fish sauce, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a gentle simmer.  Pour boiling water over the noodles to soften (about 1-2 minutes), then drain.  To serve, divide noodles among 6 or 8 bowls and top with slices of brisket and slices of beef fillet or silverside.  Pour over the hot stock and garnish with bean sprouts, scallions and herbs.  Serve with lime wedges on the side.

*Oxtail is from butchers.  Fresh rice noodles are from major and Asian supermarkets.  Thai basil is from Asian supermarkets and greengrocers.