Vietnamese beef brisket noodle soup
A delicious bowl of steamy sweet and sour Vietnamese soup laced with sweet carrots, rice noodles, basil and coriander
SERVES:6 | PREP & COOK: 3 hrs
Ingredients
600-700g beef brisket (cut into 1½-inch chunks)
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 tbsp ginger, cut into matchsticks
5 tbsp fish sauce
2½ tsp five spice
2 tsp brown sugar
3 tsp oil
2 stalk lemongrass, thinley sliced
8 cloves garlic, diced
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 litres water
400ml coconut water
2 star anise
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
4 large carrots, diced into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chilli oil
Rice noodles
small handful of coarsely chopped fresh coriander and basil leaves
half red onion thinly sliced
1 Lime cut into wedges
Method
First marinate the beef. Combine the beef with the garlic, ginger, fish sauce, five-spice powder, and brown sugar until each piece is evenly coated. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Next, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add 1 lemongrass cut into three and allow to infuse the oil for 1 minute. Next, add the sliced lemongrass and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the onions and cook until translucent. Then add all of the beef to the pot, and brown evenly on all sides. Add the tomato paste
Stir and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the water, coconut water, star anise, ground black pepper, chili powder and paprika. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
After an hour has passed, add the carrots, salt, soy sauce, and chili oil. Simmer for another 40 minutes.
To serve, remove the large lemongrass stalks and any star anise pods you can fish out. Cook your noodles per package instructions, transfer to bowls, and ladle the soup over the top.
Garnish with coriander, basil, and raw onion, and serve with some lime wedges on the side