Beef pho

Babiche Martens

A good pho is all about a delicious stock infused with Asian flavours. As with any soup, if you have time to make your own stock the day before it will only enhance the flavour. If not, a good-quality store-brought stock will suffice. Rich and aromatic, this is perfect to serve as a lighter dinner.

Ingredients

1 Ltr	Beef stock, good quality (Main)
4 cm	Ginger, sliced
1	Cinnamon stick
2	Star anise
1 Tbsp	Soy sauce
1 Tbsp	Fish sauce
1	Red chilli, sliced thinly
200 g	Rice noodles (Main)
400 g	Sirloin steaks, sliced thinly (Main)
2 cups	Bean sprouts

To serve

½ cup	Roasted peanuts, chopped
1 bunch	Coriander leaves (Main)
2	Limes, halved

Directions

1. Into a large pot place the stock. Add the ginger, cinnamon, star anise, soy sauce, fish sauce and half the chilli. Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes to infuse all the flavours. It can be refrigerated until needed at this stage.
2. Cook the rice noodles.
3. To serve, into four bowls arrange the rice noodles, place in the sliced steak and bean sprouts. Bring the broth to the boil and remove any inedible cinnamon stick or star anise, then pour over the steak and sprouts, which will cook them.
4. Garnish with extra chilli, peanuts and coriander. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime per bowl.

More winter soups from Angela

• Pumpkin and red lentil soup
• Hearty bacon and vegetable soup