Chef Jeremy's Vietnamese Beef Pho

Vietnamese Beef Pho

10oz    Lean Sirloin Beef Steak or Beef Alternative

6oz      Rice Noodles

6 C       Chicken Broth

6 ea     Thai Basil Leaves, or Italian Basil if necessary

2 C       Bean Sprouts

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tsp    Whole Cloves

1 tsp    Whole Coriander Seeds

5 ea     Whole Star Anise Pods, or ½ tsp ground

5 ea     Whole Cardamom Pods, or ½ tsp ground

1 ea     Cinnamon Stick, or ½ tsp ground

1. Start by adding the Chicken Broth to a medium sauce pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium high heat. Add the Soy Sauce, Cloves, Coriander, Star Anise, Cardamom, and Cinnamon and let them simmer in the broth for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Pluck 6 Basil Leaves. You can choose to leave them whole, or roughly chop them as a flavorful garnish for your soup.
3. Slice the Lime into quarters and set aside to add a bit of zesty citrus flavor to your Pho before eating.
4. Submerge the Rice Noodles in lukewarm water for about 5 minutes to soften up, then divide them evenly into 3 bowls.
5. Begin heating a small saute pan over medium high heat with ¼ tsp of Olive Oil. Season the Sirloin steak lightly with a bit of salt then quickly sear it for about 1 minute on each side and set aside to rest. Slice the Sirloin Steak into very thin strips. You want them as thin as possible, because we are going to let the heat of the broth cook the rare meat in the bowl just before eating.
6. Strain the Pho Broth, removing the whole aromatic spices, leaving you with just the flavorful broth. Return to the heat and bring to a boil.
7. Divide the beef into the 3 bowls of prepared rice noodles, then quickly pour the very hot broth into each of the bowls. Top each with Bean Sprouts, Basil, and a squeeze of Lime and enjoy the tasty aroma of Vietnamese Pho! You can also try this with Chicken or Pork.