Vietnamese-style beef noodle soup

October 30, 2004
Filed under Asian cooking, Vietnamese food

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Ingredients :

300 g. of beef brisket (slab)
2-3 large pieces of beef bones
1 whole garlic
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled
1 whole onion
1 bunch of leeks
200 g. of rice noodles (ho-fan)
1 medium-sized carrot
patis

Cooking procedure :

Cut the leeks down the middle and place under the tap to remove any soil between the layers. Reserve the white to light green portion.

Wash the beef and place in a large sauce pan or casserole. Add the whole garlic, whole onion, ginger and the green portion of the leeks. Cover with water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove any scum that floats to the surface. Season with patis. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours or until the beef is very tender. Add more water, if necessary. You will need at six to seven cups of broth to serve four persons.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the white and light green portions of the leeks. Slice the carrot into thin rings.

In another sauce pan, cook the ho-fan noodles according to package directions. Ho-fan noodles cook fast–normally, they are done in five minutes. Do not overcook them. As soon as they are cooked, add a cup of cold water to the pan to stop the cooking. Strain the noodles. Divide the noodles into four and place them in individual soup bowls.

When the beef is tender, taste the broth. Add more patis, if preferred, and simmer a few minutes longer.

Remove the beef from the broth and cool. Cut into slices or chunks, depending on the final appearance you prefer.

Strain the broth. Discard the bones and vegetables and reheat the broth in a clean sauce pan or casserole. When boiling, add the carrot rings and leeks and boil for a minute.

Place a few slices of beef with the noodles. Pour the hot broth, with the carrot rings and leeks, over them. Serve hot.