这几天的天气忽然有所转变，每天都倾盆大雨，冷冷湿湿的，喔整个人人也变得懒懒的。 不知道是人老了，这样的天气全身骨头好像有点僵硬和酸痛。只想可以不用早上五点四个字起床，因为那个时间真的很暗很冷，最好就是躲在被窝里不用上班。这样的天气最好来碗热热牛肉汤，喝下去暖暖的，好舒服啊！其实买了Luke Nguyen的书后，就mark他这个牛肉汤了，但是每次的用料都不齐全，所以迟迟没有把汤给熬出来。这次终于样样都不缺了，没有什么理由不试试越南大厨的越南牛肉汤吧！ 这是我的晚餐但是第二天去上班时还是很想快快回家吃我的牛肉河粉午餐。今天就在这里给大家分享这道越南牛肉河粉汤。
Ingredients:
1kg oxtail (chopped into 3cm inch piece)
1 garlic bulb, unpeeled
4 large onions, unpeeled
150g ginger, unpeeled
1 kg beef bones
2 kg beef brisket
185ml fish sauce
80g rock sugar
4 tbsp salt
4 spring onions, sliced
ground black papper
coriander springs to garnish
thin slices sirloin
beef balls
bean sprouts
Vietnamese mint
chillies, sliced
lime, cut into wedges
Rice Noodle （Hor Fun）
Spice pouch
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp sichan peppercorns
2 tsps cumin seeds
2 tsps fennel seeds
8 cloves
5 star anise
2x 10cm pieces of cinnamon quil
40cm square muslin cloth
Method:
1. Fill a large saucepan with cold water, add 3 tbs of the salt, then submerge the oxtail in the water. Soak for 1 hour then drain.
2. To make the spice pouch, dry roast each ingredient separately and use the muslin cloth to wrap the spices. Set aside.
3. Put the oxtail, beef bones, beef brisket and 6 litres of cold water in a stock pot and bring to the boil. While the stock is boiling, constantly skim any impurities off the surface for 15 minutes (this will ensure a clean clear broth), then reduce the heat to low simmer. Add the fish sauce, remaining 1 tbs salt, rock sugar, garlic, onion, ginger and spice pouch. Cover and simmer for 4 hours.
Stain the stock through some muslin cloth. Remove the brisket, set aside to cool, then thinly slice. Skim any fat off the stock and discard it.
4. Boil a pot of water, blanch the hor fun for 20 sec. Divide it into 8 equal portions.
5. Place 3 to 4 slices of brisket on top of the noodle, followed by raw sirloin. Reboil the soup and beef balls. Pour over the hot stock to cover the noodles and beef.
6. Garnish each bowl with coriander and onion. Sprinkle with pepper. At the table, add bean sprouts, mint, chilli and a squeeze of lemon.
Recipe adapted from: Luke Nguyen, Indochine, pg, 67
