Vietnamese Beef Pho

On Monday Josh wanted to eat Pho for dinner, but I thought I was too warm for it. We ended up eating leftovers. So since today is our actual anniversary I decided I'll make him Pho for dinner.  I started cooking the soup this morning, then brought it down to a simmer and went to Chinatown to go shopping for everything else.

Here is what I used

• 1 package of oxtail ( approx. 1 kg from tkranch.com)
• 4 packs of beef marrow soup bones ( also from TK ranch)
• 2 medium size onions
• Ginger
• Spices (Star anise, Cinnamon stick, Licorice, Cardamom, fennel and Cloves) *Chinatown sells a pack with all these spices and a bag to put it in*
• Fish sauce
• Salt
• Bean sprouts
• Mint
• Fresh noodles
• Limes
• Beef balls
• Beef ( sliced)
• Beef tripe

1. Boil water, and put the bones in to rinse for about 2 minutes.  Pour out water
2. Refill the pot with new fresh water and leave bones in pot and bring to boil
3. Add onion and ginger and spices to pot and bring to boil.  Turn down to low heat and let it for for a long time.  I let it cook for 8 hours before we ate it.  Over night is best
4. Add fish sauce and salt
5. boil another pot of water to cook noodles.  (I usually buy the fresh ones, because you only need to put noodles into boiling water and take out after a minute
6. place noodles in bowl and garnish with meat, balls, tripe, onions....
7. Pour boiling soup over noodles
8. enjoy.