JUN6

Big Daddy Does Pho

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Devany

Big Daddy makes a few cooking attempts to ease my busy schedule. Last night he hit a homerun. Pho (pronounced FA), the simple (yet complex) Vietnamese Street food charmed him when we lived in Hawaii. He is not one for exotic flavors, so this surprised me a bit. Since then we have been to several restaurants here in Charleston that serve Pho. He decided to make it and it was an astounding winner. We paired it with a Belgian Ale and that was a fantastic match too. We had some leftover rare beef (tri-tip) so he froze it and sliced it thinly. I usually ask for my meat on the side when ordering Pho in restaurants, I don’t like it over cooked. We have enough broth for at least two more meals.

Pho 

INGREDIENTS:

Soup 4 quarts beef stock (homemade is best) 1 large onion, sliced into rings 6 slices fresh ginger root or galangal if you can get it 2 small stalks of fresh lemon grass tied in a knot 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon whole black smoked peppercorns 4 star anise 1 pound sirloin tip, cut into thin slices 1 (8 ounce) packages dried rice noodles

Garnishes and Sauces 1/2 pound bean sprouts 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves 1 cup fresh mint leaves 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves 3 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced into thin rings 2 limes, cut into wedges Hoisin sauce Sriracha (Rooster) sauce Fish sauce

METHOD :

1.	In a large soup pot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, star anise, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.
2.	Arrange bean sprouts, mint, basil, and cilantro on a platter with chilies and lime.
3.	Soak the noodles in hot water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place equal portions of noodles into large soup bowls, and place raw beef on top. Ladle hot broth over noodles and top with beef. Pass garnishes and sauces.