Pho (Ginger Beef Soup with Noodles) Recipe

Soup bones with marrow
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. beef for stew
1 tbsp. sliced gingerroot
2 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Water
1/2 lb. fine egg noodles
2 tbsp. nuoc mam (fish sauce)
1/2 tsp. pepper

Place the bones, meat, gingerroot, onions and garlic in 3 to 4 cups water to cover. Cook over low heat till meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (The nuoc mam may be put in at the beginning, but many prefer to minimize the odor by adding it at the end with the pepper.) Cook the noodles in boiling water till just tender. Drain noodles and strain the meat broth. Add noodles to broth together with nuoc mam and pepper. Chop the meat and marrow and return to broth. Bring to boil, adjust seasonings, and serve. If you can find pea-starch noodles the dish will be more authentic. If using pea starch noodles, cook in boiling water 30 min. let stand another 30 minutes in the same water before draining and adding to the broth.