Hungry Note

Pho(pronounce like "Fur"), is just too famous Vietnamese traditional noodle around the world.
They eat pho for breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, supper, You can enjoy bowl of pho throughout the day.
Well, Unfortunately, where I live doesn't have any Vietnamse restaurant so I can't really go and get a bowl of pho so easy...

So this is the recipe satisfies my pho-need.
You are able to find so much kind of pho in Viet Nam, but this is my favourite "Pho Bo Vien(Pho with Beef Meatball)".
Takes a bit of your time and caring but worth it.

ingredient(serves 3~4 people)

[Soup Base]
800g Oxtail(preferably the one with not much fat)
2tsp Salt
1tsp MSG(if you need)
60ml Fish Sauce
1/2 Onion
3cm Ginger

[Pho Spice]
3 Star Anise
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1/4tsp Fennel Seed
3 Cloves
1tsp Five Spice
1/2tsp Coriander Powder

[Meat Ball]
150g Minced Beef
1/2tsp Salt
1cm Ginger(grated)
1 Garlic(grated)
1/2tsp Sugar
1tsp MSG(if you need)
1tsp Oyster Sauce
2tbsp Corn Starch

Rice Noodle
Spring Onion(finely chopped)
Onion(sliced)
Coriander(finely chopped)
Sprout

1, Start from the base, Put the water into the pot, just enough to cover the oxtail. When its boiled, place oxtail and boil them for 8 minutes.
You can prepare the spice now, chuck all spice into the mortar and pestle and crush them finely then put into spice bag.

2, Drain, discard the water.
If you have a pressure cooker, lucky you, you can shorten the time standing in the kitchen!
(I use Breville's pressure cooker)
Place oxtail and a litre of water, then set as "Medium" pressure for 18 minutes.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can boil the water again in the pot and place oxtail then boil until the meat get soft.(probably about 40 minutes or so)

3, Take the oxtail out from the pressure cooker and then place them in the pot with 2 litre of water.
(Discard the water left in the pressure cooker)
Simmer for 20 minutes and remove scum on the soup surface then stop the heat. Add spice bag into the pot, Ginger, Onion as well and leave for 1 hour to infuse the flavour.

4, Meanwhile, make the meatball.
Place all the ingredient into the food processor and run until become one big chunk.
Lightly oil your hand and make little meat ball(maybe 10~15 pieces).
Boil the water in the pot, put meatball and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set a side.

5, Take out Oxtail, remove the meat from the bone and set aside. Chuck the bone back into the pot.
Add salt, MSG, fish sauce into the soup, add some more or less to flavour it as you like.
Also add cooked meatball.

6, Cook rice noodle(follow the direction on the packet).
Place chopped spring onion, coriander,sprout, meat on the rice noodle in the bowl.
Pour the soup with 3~4 meatballs each.

*Great with squeezed lemon, also you can use hoisin sauce for dip meatball.