Vietnamese "Pho" Rice Noodle Soup with Beef Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 pounds beef marrow or knuckle bones
• 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2 pieces
• 2 (3-inch) pieces ginger, cut in half lengthwise and lightly bruised with the flat side of a knife, lightly charred (see Note, below)
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and charred (see Note, below)
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 3 ounces rock sugar, or 3 tablespoons sugar
• 10 whole star anise, lightly toasted in a dry pan
• 6 whole cloves, lightly toasted in a dry pan
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 pound dried 1/16-inch-wide rice sticks, soaked, cooked and drained (see Tips, below)
• 1/3 pound beef sirloin, slightly frozen, then sliced paper-thin across the grain
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
• 3 scallions, cut into thin rings
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 pound bean sprouts
• 10 sprigs Asian basil
• 1 dozen saw-leaf herb leaves (optional)
• 6 Thai bird chilies or 1 serrano chili, cut into thin rings
• 1 lime, cut into 6 thin wedges
• Freshly ground black pepper