Pho Bo, Part II “Some Assembly Required”

Okay, at this point you should have what amounts to a stockpot of broth that has been skimmed of it's fat. Sometimes the broth will take on the characteristic of Jello when it's chilled, which is a good thing. It means that you were able to extract all of the good stuff from the bones which directly relates to flavor. For this part of the recipe you will need the following:

1-Pkg of Bean Sprouts
1-Bunch Cilantro
1-Bunch Culantro
1-Bunch Thai Basil
2-Serrano or Jalapeño Pepper, sliced
2-Limes, quartered
1-Large white Onion, halved and sliced thin
4-Scallions sliced thin
1-Pkg of Beef, or Beef Tendon Meatballs quartered
2-Reserved Beef Shanks from making soup, sliced at room temp.
¾ lb. Flank Steak or London Broil sliced very thin across grain
(Freeze steak slightly to make thin cutting easy)
1 Pkg Rice Noodles, Ban Pho vermicelli rice sticks
Rice Wine Vinegar
Fish Sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Sriracha Sauce

Begin by heating the broth. Meanwhile, assemble a garnish plate of the sprouts, cilantro, basil, peppers, and limes. I use a standard size dinner plate but you can do this on smaller plates for each person if you choose. On another plate I usually squeeze off enough Sriracha and Hoisin Sauce to cover each half of a small plate for each guest. This way the can dip whatever they want without fear! You may also leave the bottles on the table for refilling. Place the sliced onion in a small shallow bowl and cover with the vinegar. Place a pinch of salt and stir gently. You can do this ahead of time by as much as an hour or so and let sit at room temp.
Cook the noodles as per the instructions. Rice noodles cook slightly different than Americanized pasta so if it's your first time, you need to pay attention to cooking times and doneness. I usually cook them by boiling water and the pouring the water over the noodles in a bowl and then letting them sit for about ten to fifteen minutes. Then I rinse them under cold water and drain keeping them close at hand for serving. If you use this method, you want to make sure you have pot of boiling water at hand to quickly re-heat the noodles prior to plating (or bowling as the case may be). You can also use this boiling water to pre-heat your bowls because no one likes a cold bowl of pho.
Before you assemble the bowls, drain the onions. Add to the bowl some of the re-heated noodles on the bottom, some of the now pickled white onions, sliced cooked beef, sliced raw beef, and some of the scallions. Add the very hot broth to the bowl. This will cook the beef giving it a slight gray appearance.
Eating pho is a personal process. Some add sauces such as fish, Sriracha, or Hoisin directly to the broth. Add a few leaves of basil and cilantro at a time. Adding to many cool things will cool the broth so use your herbs wisely.