Name: Hanoi Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Bò Hà Nội)
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 4 spring onions (scallions), sliced coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) oxtail (ask your butcher to chop it into 3 cm/1¼ inch pieces); 4 tablespoons salt; 1 unpeeled garlic bulb; 4 large unpeeled onions; 150 g (5½ oz) unpeeled ginger; 8 whole cloves; 5 whole star anise; 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) beef brisket; 2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced; 185 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) fish sauce; 1 lime, cut into wedges; 400 g (14 oz) beef sirloin, trimmed and thinly sliced; 1.6 kg (3 lb 8 oz) fresh rice noodles (about 200 g/7 oz per person); 80 g (2¾ oz) rock sugar; 2 cassia bark, about 10 cm (4 inch) in length

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Songs of Sapa

By Luke Nguyen

Published 2009

About

IN MY PREVIOUS COOKBOOK, SECRETS OF THE RED LANTERN, I SHARED A PHO RECIPE FROM SAIGON, WHICH WAS PASSED DOWN THROUGH THE NGUYEN FAMILY. THIS RECIPE, HOWEVER, STAYS TRUE TO THE HANOIAN STYLE: SIMPLE, CLEAN AND UNCOMPLICATED. I USE OXTAIL HERE AS I FIND IT RELEASES DEEPER FLAVOURS THAN THE ORDINARY SHIN BONE, AND IT TENDS