Beef Pho

Name: Beef Pho
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 3 Onions, skins on; 200 g Ginger, unpeeled; 375 g Pho Rice Noodles; 250 g Bean Sprouts; 500 g Topside Steak, thinly sliced; 10 Star Anise; 5 g Cloves; 45 ml Coriander Seeds; 30 ml Fennel Seeds; 3 Cardamom Pods, lightly crushed, pods discarded and seeds only; 1 Cinnamon Stick; 2 Lemons, halved; 120 ml Salt; 500 g Oxtail; 500 g Beef Marrow, chopped into 7cm pieces (ask the butcher to do this); 2 kg Beef Brisket, on the bone; 1 kg Beef Ribs; 300 g Turnip, halved; 30 ml Fish Sauce; 200 g Yellow Sugar; 75 g Salt; 200 g Coriander Leaves; 200 g Spring Onions, chopped; 200 g Thai Basil Leaves; 5 Bird's Eye Chillies, sliced; 4 Limes, cut into wedges; Sriracha Sauce, for dipping; Hoisin Sauce, for dipping

Sean Strydom @Sean_Strydom

Port Elizabeth

So very much worth the effort

Sean Strydom @Sean_Strydom

Port Elizabeth

So very much worth the effort

Saved

Ingredients

3Onions, skins on
200 gGinger, unpeeled
375 gPho Rice Noodles
250 gBean Sprouts
500 gTopside Steak, thinly sliced
Spices
10Star Anise
5 gCloves
45 mlCoriander Seeds
30 mlFennel Seeds
3Cardamom Pods, lightly crushed, pods discarded and seeds only
1Cinnamon Stick
Cleaning Meat
2Lemons, halved
120 mlSalt
Broth
500 gOxtail
500 gBeef Marrow, chopped into 7cm pieces (ask the butcher to do this)
2 kgBeef Brisket, on the bone
1 kgBeef Ribs
300 gTurnip, halved
30 mlFish Sauce
200 gYellow Sugar
75 gSalt
To Serve
200 gCoriander Leaves
200 gSpring Onions, chopped
200 gThai Basil Leaves
5Bird's Eye Chillies, sliced
4Limes, cut into wedges
Sriracha Sauce, for dipping
Hoisin Sauce, for dipping

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Steps

1

Over an open flame (gas or braai), char the onions and ginger until the skins are blackened. Once cooled enough to handle, peel the skins off, rinse in cold water, and set aside.
2

Spices:
Over medium heat dry toast all the Spices in a frying pan for 3–5 minutes, until aromatic. Set aside to cool.
3

Cleaning Meat:
Squeeze the juice of the Lemons into a stockpot, throw the lemon halves in and fill with cold water. Soak the Oxtail, Marrow, Beef Brisket and Ribs and Bones in the water, with the 120ml Salt. Stir well, cover and leave for 1 hour.
4

Remove the lemon halves. Place the pot over a high heat and parboil the bones and meat for 5 minutes. Drain then rinse the meat in cold water and leave to dry.
5

Broth:
Over high heat in a clean pot bring 8 litres of water to boil. Add in the par-boiled meat and for 3–4 minutes to force all the impurities to the surface, skim off the scum until the water looks clear. Add Onions, Ginger, Spices and Turnip, reduce to low heat, partially cover with a lid and simmer for 3 hours.
6

Remove the pot from the heat, remove the bones and meat, and set aside to cool. Skim off any fat on the surface before straining the broth through a sieve into a clean stockpot. This is a clear broth. Season with Fish Sauce, Sugar and Salt.
7

Noodles:
Place the Pho Rice Noodles in a bowl and cover with Boiling Water. Set aside until cooked for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
8

Debone and tear the brisket meat into strips. Set aside.
9

Boil water over high heat, once the water is boiling blanch the bean sprouts for 5–10 seconds and drain. Set aside.
10

Serve:
Place the noodles in the bowls with the bean sprouts. Add in the cooked meat. Add in the thinly sliced Topside Steak on top.
11

Bring the broth back up to a boil and ladle between bowls. Finish with the herbs sliced Chillies and serve with lime wedges.
12

In a very small side dish, place the Sriracha and Hoisin sauces for dipping the meat.