INGREDIENTS

6 lb. beef rib bones
1 lb. beef gravy
2 onions, sliced
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
Stick of cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 lb. fresh rice noodles or 8 oz. dried rice noodles
1 lb. fresh bean sprouts
6 spring onions
4 firm ripe tomatoes
2 white onions
1 lb. rump steak
Fish sauce
Lemon wedges
Fresh red or green chilies, chopped
Chopped fresh coriander leaves.

COOKING METHOD

Put bones and beef gravy in a very large pan, add cold water until covered. Add sliced onions, scraped and sliced ginger, cinnamon stick, and whole peppercorns.

Bring to boil, turn heat very low. Cover and simmer for at least 6 hours. Add salt to taste.

If using fresh rice noodles (look fun, chee chong fun), slice into 1/2 inch strips and pour over with boiling water, drain, and steam in colander for 5 minutes.

If using dried rice noodles, soak in warm water for at least 2 hours, then drain and cook in boiling water until just tender. Drain well.

SALAD PREPARATION

Pour boiling water over bean sprouts in colander. Rinse with cold water. If necessary, pinch off any straggly brown tails.

Slice spring onions thinly.

Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise, then slice each in half.

Peel and slice onions thinly.

Slice beef into paper thin bite-sized pieces. Arrange all on a serving plate.

SERVING METHOD

Put ladle of noodles and ladle of bean sprouts in large soup bowl.

Put a few slices of beef, tomato, and onion in a large ladle, immerse in boiling stock until beef begins to lose redness. Beef should be pale pink.

Pour contents of ladle over noodles and bean sprouts.

SOURCE: AsianConnections