Web-only recipe: Beef Pho

This is my go-to meal after a busy day when I am too tired to cook. Make it with chicken stock and chicken if you prefer but you will need to simmer the chicken in the broth to fully cook through before adding to the noodles. If you use jellied beef stock you will need only 500ml but use an extra 500ml water.

Beef Pho

100g dried bean thread noodles or rice vermicelli
1 litre good-quality beef stock
2 cups water
1½ tablespoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
pinch of ground cloves
1 fat thumb ginger, cut in fine matchsticks, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised with a rolling-pin
½-1 long red chilli, finely chopped
1 kaffir lime leaf or zest of 1 lime
4 mushrooms, sliced
100-150g beef fillet, cut as thinly as possible across the grain
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
4 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
Garnish: 2 spring onions cut in 5cm lengths, very finely shredded
1 medium carrot, finely shredded
coriander leaves
wedges of lime
fresh chillies, sliced

Soak noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes. While they soak, place stock in a pot with water, fish sauce, spices, herbs, chillies, lime leaf or zest and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain noodles, snip with scissors in a few places for easy eating and divide between heated bowls. Top with beef slices and coriander. Remove lemon grass and lime leaf (if using) and divide boiling broth between bowls. Spoon 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice into each bowl. Top with spring onions, carrot and coriander leaves. Garnish with lime wedges and serve at once.

Pass around extra fish sauce for seasoning if desired and accompany with a bowl of sliced chillies.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course