12 ounces eye-of-round roast trimmed cut into 1/16-inch slices
2 cups bean sprouts fresh
3 ounces ginger fresh thinly sliced
8 lime wedges
2 cups onion vertically sliced
12 ounces wide rice stick noodles (banh pho)
0.7 cup shallots coarsely chopped ( 3 medium shallots)
2 star anise
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup thai basil leaves
4 thai chiles red seeded thinly sliced
3 tablespoons thai fish sauce (such as Three Crabs)
5 quarts water
1 teaspoon peppercorns white
1 large onion yellow peeled quartered
Equipment
bowl
frying pan
ladle
pot
sieve
Directions
To prepare broth, heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
Add oxtail, ginger, and shallots; saut 8 minutes or until ginger and shallots are slightly charred.
Add water and next 8 ingredients (through cinnamon stick); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 hours. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Return broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until reduced to 10 cups (about 30 minutes). Skim fat from surface; discard fat. Keep warm.
To prepare remaining ingredients, add sliced onion to broth.
Place noodles in a large bowl, and cover with boiling water.
Let stand 20 minutes.
Drain.
Place 1/3 cup bean sprouts in each of 6 soup bowls. Top each serving with 1 1/3 cup noodles and 2 ounces eye-of-round. Carefully ladle 1 2/3 cups boiling broth over each serving (boiling broth will cook the meat).
Serve with cilantro, basil, chiles, limes, and hoisin, if desired.
