Vietnamese Pho recipe

This aromatic Vietnamese classic simmers charred onions, ginger, and warm spices into a deeply flavorful broth that's surprisingly simple to master at home.

Ingredients

• 2 large onions (, halved)
• 150g / 5oz ginger (, sliced down the centre)
• 10 star anise
• 4 cinnamon quills
• 4 cardamon pods
• 3 cloves ((the spice cloves!))
• 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1.5kg / 3lb beef brisket
• 1kg / 2lb meaty beef bones
• 1kg / 2lb marrow bones ((leg, knuckle), cut to reveal marrow)
• 3.5 litres / 3.75 quarts water ((15 cups))
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 40 ml / 3 tbsp fish sauce ((Note 2))
• 50g / 1.5 oz dried rice sticks ((or 120g/4oz fresh) (Note 3))
• 30g / 1 oz beef tenderloin, raw, very thinly sliced ((Note 4))
• 3 – 5 brisket slices ((used for broth))
• Beansprouts, handful
• Thai basil, 3 – 5 sprigs
• Coriander/cilantro, 3 – 5 sprigs ((or more basil))
• Lime wedges*
• Finely sliced red chilli*
• Hoisin sauce*
• Sriracha* ((for spiciness))

Instructions

1. Heat a heavy based skillet over high heat (no oil) until smoking.
2. Place onion and ginger in pan cut side down. Cook for a few minutes until it's charred, then turn. Remove and set aside.
3. Toast Spices lightly in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes. 
4. Rinse bones & brisket then cover with water in large stock pot.
5. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain.
6. Rinse each bone and brisket under tap water.
7. Wipe pot clean, bring 3.5 litres / 3.75 quarts water to boil.
8. Add bones and brisket, onion, ginger, Spices
9. Add onion, ginger, Spices, sugar and salt – water should just barely cover everything.
10. Cover with lid, simmer 3 hours.
11. Remove brisket (should be fall-apart tender), cool then refrigerate for later.
12. Simmer remaining soup UNCOVERED for 40 minutes.
13. Strain broth into another pot, discard bones and spices. Should be about 2.5 litres / 2.65 quarts (10 cups), if loads more, reduce.
14. Add fish sauce, adjust salt and sugar if needed. Broth should be beefy, fragrant with spices, savoury and barely sweet.
15. Prepare rice noodles per packet, just prior to serving.
16. Place noodles in bowl. Top with raw beef and brisket.
17. Ladle over about 400 / 14 oz hot broth – will cook beef to medium rare.
18. Serve with Toppings on the side!