Vietnamese beef pho

A fragrant, clear broth scented with star anise, cinnamon and charred ginger, poured over rice noodles and wafer-thin steak. Everyone piles on their own herbs, lime and chilli at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 Onions, halved, skin on
• 40 g Fresh ginger, halved lengthways
• 3 g Star anise, 3 stars
• 1 Cinnamon sticks
• 2 Beef stock cubes, made up with 1.5 litres water
• 30 ml Fish sauce
• 10 g Soft brown sugar
• 300 g Rice noodles, flat, wide ones
• 300 g Sirloin steaks, put in the freezer for 20 minutes, then sliced as thinly as you can
• 150 g Beansprouts
• 10 g Fresh mint
• 15 g Fresh coriander
• 10 g Fresh basil, Thai basil if you can find it
• 3 Spring onions, sliced
• 1 Fresh chillies, sliced
• 1 Limes, cut into wedges
• 40 ml Hoisin sauce
• 20 ml Sriracha

Method

1. Put the onion and ginger, cut side down, in a dry heavy pan over a high heat and leave until deeply blackened.
2. Add the star anise and cinnamon for a minute until fragrant, then pour in the stock with the fish sauce and sugar.
3. Simmer gently with the lid half on so the flavours infuse. Taste and add more fish sauce or sugar if needed.
4. Meanwhile cook the noodles following the pack instructions, rinse in hot water and divide between deep bowls. Put the herbs, beansprouts, chilli, lime and sauces on the table.
5. Strain the broth and bring it back to a rolling boil. Lay the raw steak slices over the noodles and ladle the boiling broth straight on top: it cooks the beef in seconds. Serve at once.