For the Soups
6-¼ to 6-½
quarts water
1 dozen beef
knuckle bones (the more, the sweeter the broth will be)
1 dozen
oxtail bones
1 yellow
onion, peeled
1 (6-inch)
chunk fresh ginger
2 carrots,
trimmed and peeled
2 daikon
radishes, trimmed and peeled
2
tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves
garlic, finely minced
2 shallots,
thinly sliced
7
tablespoons kosher salt
1 chunk rock
sugar (about 2 ounces) or (3 tablespoons granulated sugar), to taste
1 cinnamon quill
5 cardamon buds
3 anise star
5 cloves
1 soup pouch (sup bunjut)
For the Porridge/Congee
2 cups
broken rice (see tips)
For Garnishing
1-½ pounds
"outside" flank steak (or filet mignon), very cold
3
tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
3
tablespoons green onions, chopped
1-½
teaspoons black pepper, freshly cracked
1 cup chopped radish pickles
4 salted eggs quartered
1/2 cup fried shallots
Chili oil
Directions
Prepping the
ginger:
Wash the
whole unpeeled ginger and remove any dirt; pat dry. Cut about 2 inches of the
ginger root. Peel the small piece with a paring knife, thinly slice it, then
cut into long matchsticks. Set aside.
Bruise the
rest of the ginger using a mallet to loosen the flesh and help release its
flavor.
For the beef
broth:
In a pot,
soak the beef bones in about a quart of water with 1 tablespoon of salt
(overnight preferably). Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the water.
Rinse the bones under running water and set aside. This step is important to
get clear broth before starting the long, slow cooking.
Fill a 12-quart stockpot
with 6-¼ quarts of water. Bring to a boil.
Add
the beef bones, oxtail bones, bruised ginger, fresh daikon, carrots and the
whole yellow onion. Bring the liquid back to a gentle boil, then lower the heat
to a bubbly simmer. Cook for 1-½ to 2
hours. Using a fine mesh strainer, regularly skim the impurities rising to the
surface of the broth. Once the broth is cleared of any impurities, add salt and
rock sugar. Bring to a roaring boil for about 30 minutes and cook until the
broth is reduced by 1/3.
Check the
seasoning. Add cinnamon quill, cardamon, anise star, cloves and soup pouch. Season with more salt (if necessary) and pepper. Adjust the
sweetness of the broth. The amount of sugar varies with the amount of beef
bones and vegetables.
Remove the
beef bones, cover with cold water and set aside for about 15 minutes. (Note:
The method used to ensure that the meat does not darken as the broth cools down
is basically the same procedure as that used to keep vegetables a bright green
color). Drain the water from the beef bones and refrigerate them until it's
time to serve.
Let the
broth come back to a boil for a last time, then remove the pot from the stove.
The broth is ready!
If you're
health conscious, you can remove the fat from the broth: Let the broth cool
down to room temperature, plastic wrap the pot tightly and place the whole pot
in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. The fat from the broth may
pick up some other odors from the refrigerator if the container is not sealed
properly. A layer of fat will form at the surface; it can be removed using a
large spoon. You can skip this step by using a fine mesh strainer and regularly
degreasing as the broth cooks.
Prepping the
slices of flank steak:
You can ask
your butcher to thinly slice it for you try to get
paper-thin slices.
Your other
option is to place the whole piece of meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Then thinly slice the meat using a sharp chef's knife. Make sure to cut the meat perpendicular to
the grain so the slices remain tender.
Preparing
cháo:
Note: The
key to a successful outcome is to prepare the bowls individually (no more than
2 servings at a time).
Wash and
rinse the broken rice thoroughly in several water baths. Unlike basmati rice,
no soaking time is needed. Drain as much water as possible.
Heat the oil
in a non-stick, medium saucepan. Add thinly sliced shallots. Cook over
medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the
shallots from burning, until the color is evenly golden brown. Transfer the
shallots to a plate, leaving about 2 teaspoons in the saucepan.
Add ½ cup
rice to the saucepan. The oil should coat all the grains. Add 2 cups of
boiling-hot beef broth and stir occasionally. Bring the liquid back to a boil,
then immediately lower the heat to a gentle boil. Cook until the broth thickens
like porridge. Add one reserved oxtail bone and a few ginger matchsticks.
Depending on the consistency you like, you could add more beef broth to thin
out the soup. Adjust seasoning.
Assembly
time:
Add the
green onions and cilantro to the saucepan. Bring to a full boil one more time,
then add about 3 tablespoons of the sliced raw flank steak. As soon as the beef
slices are in the broth, transfer the beef rice soup (cháo thịt bò) immediately
to 2 individual serving bowls so that the meat keeps a slightly pink color and
remains tender (the meat will finish cooking from the heat of the soup).
Garnish with
the reserved caramelized shallots, more cilantro and a sprinkle of freshly
cracked pepper.
Serve immediately.
You could drizzle the top with a little nước mắm (fish sauce) if you like.
Tips
Coating the
individual grains of rice in oil prevents them from sticking to one another.
I purposely
do not salt the broth at the beginning but wait to add salt and sugar until the
bones and beef shanks are fully cooked.
Daikon (củ cải
trắng in Vietnamese) is an Asian radish that looks like a large white carrot. I
use this root a lot for making broth. Both the carrots and daikons gives
natural sweetness to the broth.
