PHO (VIET BEEF SOUP)

Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   4       lb           Beef shin with bones or 2
                        -medium oxtail, cut up.
   1       md           Onion, unpeeled
   5                    Slices fresh ginger
   1                    Piece star anise
   1       t            Salt
   2 1/2   tb           Chinese fish sauce
   1                    Bundle medium Chinese
                        -vermicelli
                        Boiling water
     1/2   lb           Leftover cooked sirloin
                        -(or beef tenderloin or
                        -eye chuck), thinly sliced
   3                    Scallions, chopped
                        Fresh cilantro sprigs
                        Pepper
                        Fresh chilies, sliced

  Boil beef (with bones) or oxtail in 3 quarts cold water.
  Skim off foam and fat. Cover and simmer for 4 hours.
  Broil onion until flesh is soft, turning often. Peel.
  Add onion, ginger, anise, salt, and fish sauce to beef
  broth just before it has finished simmering.
  Also just before beef broth finishes simmering, drop
  vermicelli into a pot of boiling water. Cook 8
  minutes, remove from water, rinse in cold water, and
  drain. Divide vermicelli into three equal portions and
  place in 3 individual serving bowls.
  Divide beef into 3 equal portions and place on top of
  vermicelli in the bowls. Garnish each bowl with
  scallions and 2 or 3 fresh cilantro sprigs.
  Strain broth, reserving beef and flavorings. Pour one
  cup broth over contents of each bowl. Sprinkle with
  pepper and chilies. Serve immediately. Reserved beef,
  flavorings, and extra broth can be eaten separately.