Pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup)

Ingredients

For the broth

• 1.5 kg beef marrow bones (cut) and knuckle bones
• 500 g beef brisket or chuck
• 1 large onion, halved
• 80 g fresh ginger, halved lengthways
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp rock sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 2 litres cold water

To serve

• 400 g dried bánh phở rice noodles (flat, medium width)
• 200 g beef sirloin or fillet, very thinly sliced against the grain
• 100 g bean sprouts
• 1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch coriander
• 1 bunch Thai basil
• 2 limes, quartered
• 2 fresh red chillies, sliced
• hoisin sauce
• sriracha

Method

1. Char the aromatics. Place the onion halves and ginger cut-side down directly over a gas flame or under a very hot grill (or in a dry cast-iron pan over high heat). Char until blackened in spots — 5–8 minutes. This is non-negotiable: it gives the broth its deep, smoky sweetness.
2. Parboil the bones. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the bones and beef brisket. Boil hard for 5 minutes — the water will go grey and foamy. Drain, then rinse the bones and pot thoroughly. This removes blood and grit.
3. Build the broth. Return the cleaned bones and brisket to the pot with 2 litres cold water. Add the charred onion and ginger. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a vigorous simmer (not gentle — you want the broth to stay cloudy-white and rich).
4. Toast the spices. While the broth heats, toast star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Tie them loosely in a square of muslin or a cheesecloth bag so they can be removed before serving.
5. Simmer 2–3 hours. Add the spice bag to the pot. Maintain a rolling simmer — the broth should be opaque and rich. After 90 minutes, remove the brisket (it should be tender) and set aside. Continue simmering the bones for another 60–90 minutes.
6. Season the broth. Strain the broth through a fine sieve. Season with fish sauce (start with 2 tbsp), rock sugar, and salt. It should taste deeply savoury, slightly sweet, with warm spice. Adjust to your preference.
7. Cook the noodles. Bring a separate pan of water to the boil. Cook the bánh phở noodles according to the packet (usually 2–3 minutes). Drain and divide into deep bowls.
8. Assemble. Slice the cooked brisket thinly. Arrange the raw sirloin slices over the noodles. Ladle the boiling hot broth over the top — the heat from the broth will gently cook the raw beef. Top with spring onions and serve immediately with the herb plate, lime, chilli, hoisin, and sriracha on the side.

Tips

• Charring the ginger and onion over a flame is the single most important flavour step — don’t substitute with raw or pre-cooked. Every great pho starts with blackened alliums.
• Keep the broth at a rolling simmer, not a gentle bubble. Gentle simmering makes a clear broth; vigorous simmering makes a rich, milky, opaque broth that tastes of bone.
• Tie spices in muslin — star anise, cinnamon, and cloves left loose are unpleasant to bite on. The spice bag goes in whole and comes out before serving.
• The noodles cook separately from the broth. Never add noodles directly to the broth — they’ll absorb it and swell into a stodgy mass. Serve them in the bowl, ladle broth over.
• Pho is genuinely better the next day. Make the broth ahead, refrigerate overnight, skim the solidified fat, then reheat gently.