Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo)

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
• 0.5 cup regular basil leaves fresh rinsed
• 5 oz bean sprouts rinsed
• 1.5 pounds boned beef chuck rinsed fat trimmed
• 8 ounces boned beef sirloin steak fat trimmed very thinly sliced (see notes)
• 1  cinnamon sticks (3 in. long)
• 6 cups rice noodles hot cooked ()
• 2.5 quarts fat-skimmed beef broth (see notes)
• 0.5 cup cilantro leaves fresh rinsed
• 3 oz ginger fresh thinly sliced
• 0.8 cup green onions thinly sliced (including green tops)
• 9 oz limes rinsed cut into wedges
• 1 oz chilies fresh green red such as thai, serrano, or jalapeño hot very thinly sliced
• 6 servings salt 
• 4 oz shallots thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 3  star anise whole (or 2 teaspoons pieces)
• 0.5 cup onion yellow thinly sliced

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• sieve
• slotted spoon
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. Wrap ginger, shallots, star anise, and cinnamon stick in two layers of cheesecloth (about 17 by 17 in.); tie with heavy cotton string. In an 8- to 10-quart pan, combine beef chuck, broth, 2 1/2 quarts water, 1/4 cup fish sauce, sugar, and spice bundle. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; uncover, reduce heat, and simmer until beef is tender when pierced, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a board.
3. Remove and discard spice bundle. Skim and discard fat from broth.
4. Add salt and more fish sauce to taste. Return broth to a simmer.
5. Meanwhile, arrange bean sprouts, chilies, basil, cilantro, and limes on a platter. When beef chuck is cool enough to handle, thinly slice across the grain.
6. Immerse sliced sirloin in simmering broth (use a wire basket or strainer, if available) and cook just until brown on the outside but still pink in the center, 30 seconds to 1 minute; lift out (with basket or a slotted spoon).
7. Mound hot Cooked Rice Noodles equally in deep bowls (at least 3-cup capacity). Top equally with beef chuck, sirloin, yellow onion, and green onions. Ladle broth over portions to cover generously.
8. Serve Beef Noodle Soup with platter of condiments, hoisin sauce, and chili paste to add to taste.