Phở Nam ĐịnhNam Dinh beef noodle soup

• 2 kg4.4 lb beef leg marrow bones (xương ống), split by the butcher
• 1 kg2.2 lb oxtail (đuôi bò), cut at the joints
• 600 g1.3 lb beef brisket or flank (nạm), in one piece, for the cooked (chín) slices
• 5.5 l5.8 qt water, plus more for blanching
• rice wine or vodka, salt and a few slices of ginger, for cleaning the bones
• 2 yellow onions or 6 dried shallots (hành khô), unpeeled
• 100 g3.5 oz fresh ginger, unpeeled
• 4 star anise (hoa hồi)
• 1 cinnamon or cassia stick (quế), about 8 cm (3 in)
• 2 black cardamom pods (thảo quả), cracked
• 1 tbsp salt
• 5–6 tbsp first-press fish sauce (nước mắm cốt), a good, strong fish sauce; this is the signature seasoning
• 1 kg2.2 lb fresh wide flat rice noodles (bánh phở), ideally cut by hand, about 1 cm (⅜ in) wide; or 450 g / 1 lb dried
• 300 g10.5 oz lean beef (thăn, sirloin or tenderloin), sliced paper-thin across the grain, for the rare (tái) slices
• 6 spring onions, sliced
• 1 small white onion, sliced paper-thin
• fresh red chilli, lime wedges, black pepper, extra fish sauce, to serve

Method

1. 1

   1. Rub the bones and oxtail with salt, a splash of rice wine and smashed ginger, then rinse them in warm water.

2. 2

   2. Cover the bones and oxtail with cold water, bring to the boil for 5 minutes, then pour off this first water and rinse the bones and the pot.

3. 3

   3. Char the onions or shallots and the ginger over a flame or under a hot grill until blackened in spots and soft, then rinse off the burnt skin.

4. 4

   4. Return the bones and oxtail to the pot with the 5.5 l water and the salt and bring slowly to the boil, skimming the foam carefully.

5. 5

   5. Add the brisket, lower the heat to a bare simmer and cook uncovered; lift out the brisket after about 1 hour 15 minutes, when it is tender, cool it in cold water and chill.

6. 6

   6. Toast the star anise, cinnamon and cardamom in a dry pan until fragrant, tie them in a muslin bag and add them to the pot with the charred onion and ginger.

7. 7

   7. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer for about 5 hours in all, skimming often but leaving more of the fat than for a Hà Nội broth.

8. 8

   8. Strain the broth and season it boldly with the fish sauce, adding it in the last 30 minutes, until it tastes rich, sweet from the bones and clearly of nước mắm.

9. 9

   9. Pull the meat from the oxtail and slice the cold brisket thinly.

10. 10

    10. Blanch each portion of noodles in boiling water for 10–20 seconds and drain into a deep bowl.

11. 11

    11. Top with brisket and oxtail meat, the raw beef slices, spring onion and white onion.

12. 12

    12. Ladle the boiling broth over to cook the raw beef and serve with chilli, lime and black pepper.