Recipe: Shortcut Beef (or Veggie) Phở

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz beef fillet (or firm tofu)
• Avocado oil spray
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 (2”) piece of ginger, cut into thick slices
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 3 whole star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 cups beef (or veggie) broth
• 1/4 cup (+) fish sauce
• 1 (+) tablespoon tamari, or soy sauce
• 14 ounces rice noodle sticks
• ½ onion, sliced into thin half-moons
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• ½ cup torn cilantro leaves
• 2 small heads bok choy, halved

TOPPINGS

• 1 bunch Thai basil leaves
• 1 lime, quartered
• Hoisin Sauce, to taste
• Sriracha Sauce, to taste
• 1 jalapeno, sliced, to taste
   

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wrap the steak (if using) in plastic wrap and place in freezer while you prepare the broth. -OR-
2. Slice the tofu into strips and set aside.
3. Heat your broiler and line a baking sheet with foil and spray with avocado oil spray.
4. Spread chopped onion and ginger on your baking sheet and broil 2-4 minutes or until lightly charred in spots.
5. In a stockpot, add avocado oil and bring to medium heat.
6. Add charred onion/ginger along with garlic, anise and cinnamon and stir until garlic is fragrant and then add broth, fish sauce and tamari and bring to a boil.
7. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse under cool water.
9. Divide cooked rice noodles among four serving bowls, topped with sliced onions, green onions and cilantro and set aside.
10. Remove the beef from the freezer and slice into very thin slices.
11. Strain broth into a clean saucepan and add bok choy and place on high heat for about 3 minutes, or until bok choy leaves are barely wilted and stalks are crisp tender.
12. Divide sliced steak* (or sliced tofu) among four bowls and use tongs to remove bok choy and add to each bowl.
13. Taste broth and add fish sauce and/or tamari if needed and then ladle hot broth over bowls allowing the meat to cook in the residual heat.
14. Serve with remaining ingredients as optional toppings at the table.
     

SERVES: 4
 

*CHEF’S NOTE:

• Consuming raw or undercooked foods increases your risk for foodborne illness. If preferred, you can add the raw steak slices to the hot broth on the stove to cook prior to ladling into serving bowls.