Easy Beef Pho Recipe

Ingredients

• Chubby 1-inch (1 ounce) section ginger
• 3 medium-large green onions
• 1 1/2 to 2 star anise (12 to 16 robust points total; use the max if you like spice)
• Slender 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 3 whole cloves
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, preferably Swanson
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, preferably Swanson
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon organic sugar, or 2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
• 10 ounces dried medium flat rice noodles (aka pad Thai noodles)
• 1/4 teaspoon recently ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 3/4 teaspoon white or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 small (2 ounce) yellow or red onion, cut along the grain into narrow wedges
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leafy tops only
• 2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil, plus more as needed
• 4 handfuls bean sprouts
• 1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, or 1 sliced jalapeño or Fresno, thinly sliced with seeds intact
• 4 to 6 sprigs mint
• 4 to 6 sprigs Thai basil
• 4 to 6 lime wedges
• Hoisin sauce
• Sriracha sauce