Beef Phở(o) Fusion

By Fongolicious - June 06, 2012

The rain has really settled in Sydney this weekend, as winter rears its head around for 2012. As usual, my mood for noodle soup has resurfaced. I made this recipe up – I don't think it's too much straying away from the traditional phở recipe. Although simpler, I feel a bit guilty using pre-made stock. At least it's not from powder and the packet was soon expiring.

What makes this fusion? I’ll let you read the recipe below, but there is miso paste, apple cider vinegar, Chinese cabbage, button mushrooms and vermicelli noodles.

Ingredients
1 litre of beef stock
1 cup of water
1.5 tblspn fish sauce
1 tblspn oyster sauce
2 star anise pieces
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 large onion – roughly chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic – minced
5 thickly slices of ginger
1 – 1.5 tblspn miso paste (I used a dashi flavoured one)
1/2 tspn crushed peppercorns
1 cup of celery leaves
1 tblpsn apple cider vinegar
2 medium button mushroom – quartered
250g sirloin beef steak – thinly sliced
5 or so outer leaves of a chinese cabbage head – finely chopped. Separate the leafy and stalky bits.
2 tblspn chopping coriander leaves (I used dried as I didn’t have any fresh)
200g dried vermicelli noodles

Method
1. In a large pot, add stock, water, fish sauce, oyster sauce, star anise, cinnamon sticks, onions, garlic, ginger, miso paste, peppercorns, celery leaves. On high heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms and stalky cabbage bits and continue to simmer until mushrooms are cooked. Turn heat off (you can keep it simmering on low until you’re ready to serve).

3. In a large bowl put dried vermicelli noodles and pour boiling hot water to just cover. Allow to soften – about 5 or 10 minutes. Drain, set aside.

4. Just before serving, put beef slices into broth. The remaining heat will cook the meat.

5. To serve, put in bowls leafy cabbage then vermicelli noodles. Then add meat and hot broth and its contents. Serve with fresh sliced chilli (if you fancy it).