Weeknight Beef Pho (Pho Bo) in 75 Minutes

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

All the fragrant, star-anise-scented comfort of a long-simmered pho, cheated into just over an hour by using good beef stock, charred aromatics and paper-thin raw steak that cooks in the bowl. Pile on the herbs and squeeze the lime hard.

Per serving: 565 kcal · 36.0g protein · 80.0g carbs · 10.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, halved (skin on)
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger (about 60g), halved lengthways
• 1.8 litres good-quality beef stock
• 400ml water
• 3 star anise
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt, to taste
• 300g dried flat rice noodles (banh pho)
• 350g beef sirloin or rump, well chilled
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 small handful coriander, chopped
• 1 large handful Thai basil leaves
• 100g beansprouts
• 1-2 red chillies, sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• Hoisin and sriracha, to serve

Method

1. Char the onion and ginger cut-side down in a dry, hot heavy pan (or under a hot grill) for 6-8 minutes until blackened in patches. This is where the deep flavour comes from, so don't rush it.
2. Toast the star anise, cloves, cinnamon, coriander and fennel seeds in the same dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Tip the charred onion and ginger and the toasted spices into a large pot with the beef stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer, partly covered, for 40 minutes.
4. Strain the broth into a clean pan, discarding the solids. Stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar and salt, then taste and adjust: it should be savoury, faintly sweet and boldly aromatic. Keep at a rolling simmer.
5. Meanwhile, put the chilled beef in the freezer for 15 minutes, then slice it as thinly as you possibly can against the grain. Set aside.
6. Soak or cook the rice noodles according to the packet, then drain and rinse briefly in hot water. Divide between 4 large deep bowls.
7. Lay the raw beef slices over the noodles in a single layer. Ladle the very hot broth straight over the beef so it poaches to a blush pink.
8. Top with spring onions and coriander. Serve at once with plates of Thai basil, beansprouts, chilli, lime wedges, hoisin and sriracha for everyone to build their own bowl.