Central Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Soup

There’s a friendly noodle soup rivalry between phở, Vietnam’s national dish, and bún bò Huế, the pride of Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam and seat of its royal court. In recent years—and at our restaurant—bún bò Huế has become very popular, giving phở a run for its money. The use of lemongrass and chili oil in the stock is specific to its origin in Central Vietnam, a highland region home to an abundance of spices. For the stock in this recipe, you will smash stalks of lemongrass