Sunday, November 1, 2009

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo)


Brigitte is in Pho mode, which seems to happen every fall or so. But although I like it, it's not exactly my cup of soup as a meal. (Apparently Pho is pronounced "Feu" and is descended from the French dish Pot au feu).

But it was a challenge to see if I could match the Pho from her favorite Pho joint (Hoai Huong, on Victoria). In my research I discovered that to make it from scratch involved oxtail bones blah blah blah and I was not about to explore it with such fervor.

Luckily, I turned up a convenient can of Pho broth at Kim Phat, Cote-des-Neiges. No harm in co-opting the real thing. I added large amounts of plain old broth but also added in the spices I had found in my research -- the one giving it that indefinable "Pho" flavor being star anise, which I'd never used before.

It worked out far better than I could have expected. Brigitte said it was BETTER than the restaurant's.

So this one's Pho you.

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)


Ingredients:


Broth


1 can (796 ml/27fl. oz./3 1/2 C) pho beef broth (available at Asian groceries) or the equivalent in beef broth
4 additional cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
3-4 whole cloves of star anise
I stick cinnamon
3-4 cloves
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 inch ginger, frozen and grated
1 inch lemongrass, frozen and grated
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 fistful cilantro, washed and shredded by hand
1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar (brown sugar is acceptable)

Method:
Bring all ingredients to boil. Partially cover and simmer fairly energetically for thirty minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer and reserve broth.


Broth on the simmer


Other ingredients:

1 high-quality bavette/flap steak/top sirloin steak, about 3/4 inch thick
2 generous cups bean sprouts, washed
1 small white onion, sliced thinly into rounds
2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
3 green onions (scallions, spring onions) washed and chopped into 1/4-inch rounds, 3/4 of the way to the green end of the stalk
1/2 package Banh Pho (Vietnamese flat dried rice noodles, available at your Asian grocery store)
Handful cilantro leaves, washed and torn
Whole sprig Vietnamese basil or Thai purple basil
Mint leaves, if desired

Method: Put steak in the freezer for about thirty minutes. Using a very sharp knife, slice across the grain into 1/8-inch slices. Set aside.

In a bowl of hot water, soak the noodles while the steak is freezing.

In a small pot, boil 3-4 cups of water. Plunge beansprouts in for approximately thirty seconds to blanch, remove to strainer and chill with cold water. In same pot, bring the noodles to a boil and then remove after about 2 minutes. Chill to stop cooking.

Assemble dish; heat broth to boiling point, then pour into large bowls. Add the steak, the onion, the scallions and the carrots. After about three minutes, add all remaining ingredients and serve.

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