Using beef brisket in this pho recipe means you will have beautifully tender meat to carry the myriad of spices, with the fish sauce resolutely bringing up the rear. Geoffrey Smeddle's interpretation of Vietnamese pho is absolutely brilliant, and the flavoursome soup is not only a fantastic winter warmer--it's great for any time of the year
Method
1.
Rinse the brisket and chicken bones in cold water, then put them in a large pot and cover with two litres of cold water
2.
Bring to the boil, skim the scum that rises to the surface and reduce the heat to a steady simmer
3.
Put the oil and onions in a wok and cook over a medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes until golden brown
4.
Drain the onions, discarding the oil, and spread them out on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil
5.
Now add to the stock the onions, salt, the dark green ends of the spring onions (reserve the white parts for later), garlic, ginger, cinnamon, star anise and coriander seeds
6.
Simmer for around two hours or until the brisket is very tender, at which point transfer the brisket to a bowl and allow to cool slightly
7.
Strain the soup into a clean saucepan and discard the remaining ingredients
8.
Flake the brisket back into the pot of broth, discarding any fatty pieces, then season the pho soup to your liking with the fish sauce and sugar
9.
Put your rice noodles in a bowl of salted boiling water. Cover tight and leave for a few minutes until soft, being sure not to overcook them
10.
Divide the noodles into individual bowls
12.
Pour over the soup, slice the remaining white parts of the spring onions and sprinkle them over the soup. Finish with a squeeze of lime or lemon juice
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