This Vietnamese noodle soup with rich spices and fresh herbs is fragrant, flavorful and absolutely fabulous for lunch or dinner.
Recipe tags: beef base, moderate difficulty, lunch, beef, stew
| ¼ cup | Better Than Bouillon® Roasted Beef Base |
| ¼ cup | fish sauce |
| 2 | onions, peeled and halved |
| 12 coins | fresh ginger (1/4-inch thick slices) |
| 10 pods | cardamom |
| 2 | cinnamon sticks |
| 2 tsp | coriander seeds |
| 2 | star anise |
| 16 oz | rice noodle sticks |
| 1 | striploin steak (about 12 oz), very thinly sliced |
| 2 cups | bean sprouts |
| ½ cup | fresh mint leaves |
| ½ cup | fresh Thai basil leaves |
| 4 | green onions, thinly sliced |
| 2 | Thai chili peppers, thinly sliced |
In large saucepan, combine 12 cups water, Roasted Beef Base and fish sauce. Add onions, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds and star anise; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until fragrant. Strain and return to boil.
Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; divide hot noodles among 4 bowls. Top with thinly sliced beef. Pour boiling hot broth over top (heat from the broth will cook beef slices).
Garnish with bean sprouts, mint, basil, green onions and chili peppers.
To thinly slice beef into paper-thin strips, freeze steak for 1 to 2 hours or until firm. Slice steak using a very sharp knife. Alternatively, sear steak for 2 to 3 minutes per side in hot skillet until well browned. Let stand for 10 minutes; thinly slice with sharp knife.