Description
Oxtail Pho comprises oxtail that cooked for 6 hours in water with vegetables and spices. Served with noodles and various toppings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Spices
- 3 star anise
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 5ml (1 tsp) black peppercorns
- 5ml (1 tsp) coriander seeds
- 5ml (1 tsp) fennel seeds
Pho
- 2 large onions
- 10cm (4in) ginger root
- 1 daikon radish, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1kg (2lbs) oxtail, segmented and trimmed of excess fat
- 60ml (1/4 cup) fish sauce
- 5ml (1 tsp) sea salt
- 60ml (4 tbsp) sugar
Toppings
- 400g (1lb) rice noodles
- 4 spring onions, cleaned and sliced
- 1 bunch of cilantro, washed and chopped
- 150g (5oz) bean sprouts, washed
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 240°C / fan 220°C / 460°F / gas mark 8.
- Top and tail the onions, then halve them.
- Arrange the onion halves and ginger on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the onions’ outer layer is heavily browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, toast all the spices in a pan over a low heat for about 2 minutes, or until the aromas are released. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. When the toasted spices are cool enough to handle, tie them up in a cheesecloth. Set aside.
- Place the oxtail in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let the water reach a boiling point and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. This step ensures a clearer and cleaner taste of the soup, removing impurities in the process.
- Drain the meat and clean out the pot.
- Return the meat to the pot, along with the spice bag, onions, ginger, daikon radish, carrots, fish sauce, salt and sugar. Cover with water. In my case it was about 2.5ℓ (10 cups).
- Bring the ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the contents reach a slow simmer and cook for 6 hours or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
- Sieve the soup into a large clean container. Discard the spice bag and vegetables.
- Pick all the meat from the bones and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Place the pho in the fridge to set overnight.
- The next day, scoop the solidified fat globules off the pho.
- Transfer the soup to a pot and gently reheat the contents until really hot.
- Divide the pho into bowls. Serve with the noodles that should immediately be dunked into the liquid in order to cook.
- The oxtail meat should be brought to room temperature and served on the side along with the spring onions, cilantro, beansprouts and lime. Hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce make great condiments too. Enjoy!
Notes
- After the pho is cooked, you can tweak it according to taste, e.g. adding more salt and/or sugar.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Vietnamese