Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 2 kg beef shank
• 5 onions (2 brown, 3 red)
• 60 g ginger (1 piece)
• 3 star anise
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 Tbsp white peppercorns
• 225 g flat rice noodles
• Salt
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 300 g beef fillet
• 0.5 bunch Thai basil
• 0.5 bunch cilantro
• 0.5 bunch mint
• 200 g mung bean sprouts
• 2 chili peppers
• 1 Lime
• Thai fish sauce (to taste)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Cover the shank slices with cold water in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, drain, and rinse thoroughly under cold water.

2. 2.

   Halve the brown onions. Line a pan with foil, place onion halves cut side down on the foil, and sear over high heat until deeply browned.

3. 3.

   Slice the ginger unpeeled into thin rounds.

4. 4.

   Place star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns in a tea strainer or small muslin cloth bag.

5. 5.

   Return the shank slices to the pot and cover with 3 liters of water. Add onions, ginger, and spices (in the strainer or bag) and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2.5 hours over medium heat, skimming off foam occasionally. If too much liquid evaporates, add more water up to 1 liter.

6. 6.

   While the broth simmers, soak the rice noodles in cold water for 30 minutes.

7. 7.

   Drain the noodles. Cook them briefly in plenty of salted water for 1 minute, then drain again and shock with ice water. Toss with sesame oil.

8. 8.

   Slice the beef fillet into very thin strips.

9. 9.

   Peel the red onions and slice them into ultra-thin rings.

10. 10.

    Wash the herbs, shake dry, and pluck the leaves.

11. 11.

    Rinse mung bean sprouts in a sieve and let drain. Wash chili peppers and cut into rings. Cut the lime into wedges. Set all prepared ingredients aside on the counter.

12. 12.

    After 2.5 hours of cooking, remove the shank slices from the broth. Separate the meat from the bones and dice into small cubes.

13. 13.

    Strain the broth through a fine sieve, skim off fat, and bring it back to a boil in a pot.

14. 14.

    Return the beef cubes to the pot and season the broth with salt and fish sauce. Warm the prepared ingredients and arrange them decoratively. Serve the soup in bowls, pouring hot broth over the toppings.