Phở

Melbourne is cold wet and miserable...and so am I ...I am miserable too..sore throat..coughing still...decided to make phở for dinner..that way we can have it again for tomorrow...

Just had a bowl..yummmy..so sweet and tasty..phở tái nạm viên và đuôi bò :) with fresh chilli and basil straight from the my parent's garden..

3kg ox tail
1 kg brisket
1-2 packets of beef balls (cut into quarters)
1 kg beef sliced thinly

1 onion peeled and charred on stove (scrape off the blackened bits )

1 ginger peeled and charred on stove (scrape off the blackened bits )

5 star aniseed, 10 cloves, 1-2 cinnamon stick, 1 cardamon (spices for beef soup super food brand ) I use a tea leaves ball holder to pop the spices in so they dont get lost in the soup..

Chuck everything together in a pot..ox tail, onion, ginger, spices, brisket (take out after about 45minutes-1hour) cook for about 4-5 hours..the longer the sweeter the taste..The soup is sweeter if combined with some chicken stock about 1/3 chicken stock

Add some sugar, fish sauce to taste. My dad use salt I dont.

You can microwave fresh rice noodles just before pouring the soup on or use the dry one by pre-soaking them and then use a strainer to dip them in a pot of boiling water.

I find the dry ones nicer, the fresh one too soft.

When ready to eat take some soup out into a little pot to dip the sliced beef in and to warm up the beef balls.

Garnish with spring onion, sliced onion, coriander. Have it with bean shoots, basil leaves.