Vietnamese-style Beef Noodle Soup

We were able to get excellent quality beef short ribs from a local butcher. The recipe below makes a fairy mild soup, but you can spice it up with more sambal oelek and/or Thai chile peppers. Vermicelli noodles go perfectly with the beef, and you can add different kinds of greens to suit your taste.

Ingredients

6-8 stalks lemongrass
3 pounds beef shortribs
8 cups chicken broth
8 cups water
1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1.5 teaspoons paprika
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2.5 teaspoons crab paste with bean oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 package (8.8 oz) rice vermicelli noodles
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups thinly shredded cabbage
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil
3 dried whole Thai chiles (or more if desired)
4 fresh lime wedges

Method

Whack the lower few inches of lemongrass with the back of a cleaver to bruise it. Cut the bottom 1/2 inch off the lemongrass stalks and discard. Cut another 4 inches up, so you have 6 four inch pieces. Very finely chop enough from one piece to measure 4 teaspoons, and set aside. Cut the remaining lemongrass stalks in half. Place beef and stalks in large pot. Add broth and 8 cups water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1.5 hours.

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 of the sliced onions and garlic, saute one minute. Add 1 tablespoon sambal oelek, paprika, and chopped lemongrass; saute another minute. Add this mixture to soup; mix in fish sauce, sugar, crab paste and salt. Simmer until beef is tender, skimming foam from surface, about one hour. Remove beef from soup. Skim fat from surface of soup. Simmer soup until reduced to 8 cups, about 30 minutes. Add more sambal oelek if desired. Trim off any fat from beef; cut meat into bite-size pieces.

Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Add noodles; boil one minute. Drain and rinse under cold water. Using scissors, cut noodles into smaller pieces. Divide noodles among four large bowls. Top with beef, remaining onions, green onions, and cilantro. Bring soup to boil; ladle over noodles. Toss cabbage and Thai basil in small bowl. Sprinkle over soup. Top with chiles, squeeze lime over. Enjoy!

Lemongrass and shortribs		Saute the spicy bits
Meat and noodles ready		Serve and enjoy

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