Around the world in 80 dishes No.20: Vietnam
Global kitchen
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Vietnam: beef noodle soup (pho bo), by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl
Ingredients to make 6 bowls
2kg beef bones
2 brown onions, cut in half
1 knob of ginger, cut into chunks
1 pig's trotter (ask your butcher to saw it in half)
1 teaspoon of salt
500g beef brisket
1 star anise
4cm piece of cassia bark or 1 cinnamon stick
To serve:
200g scotch fillet, thinly sliced
1tbsp fish sauce
600g fresh pho noodles (Vietnamese pantry)
4 red Asian shallots, finely sliced
4 spring onions, half sliced in long strips and half sliced into rings
Accompaniments:
1 lemon, cut in half or wedges
1 long red chilli, sliced
1 handful coriander leaves
1 handful Thai basil leaves
Fish sauce
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the beef bones on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the bones over and roast for a further 20 minutes.
Heat a grill or barbecue to medium-high heat. Grill the onion and ginger on all sides until charred lines appear.
Remove the bones from the oven and place in a large stockpot. Add the pig's trotter and the salt and cover with cold water. Slowly bring to simmering point, removing scum as it comes to the surface. Add the onion, ginger, brisket, star anise and cassia bark (or cinnamon stick) and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the brisket and set aside. Continue to simmer the stock for a further 4 hours. Strain the stock and discard the bones, vegetables and spices.
Marinate the scotch fillet in the fish sauce and set aside for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain. bring the broth back to simmering point.
Bring a saucepan of water to the oil. Drop the noodles into the boiling water for about 20 seconds, stirring with a chopstick to separate them. Drain throughly and divide evenly between 6 bowls.
Place the brisket sliced fillet, shallots and spring onions on top of the noodles. Ladle in the hot broth and encourage diners to generously add lemon juice, chilli, herbs and fish sauce.
From 'Koto' by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl (Hordie Grant Books, £16.99)
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments