Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
1 hour
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef Noodle Soup For 4 people
Rice noodle soup 1 kg Beef brisket 1 kg Beef bones 1 kg Green onions 5 stalks Vietnamese coriander 50 gr Cinnamon bark 20 gr Shallots 7 bulbs Chili paste 3 tablespoons Ginger 1 root Lemongrass 6 stalks Bird’s eye chili 4 fruits Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Rice wine a little Accompanying vegetables a little (lettuce/ basil/ bean sprouts) Common spices a little (sugar /salt/ monosodium glutamate/ seasoning powder/ pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh beef
- Female beef has a better flavor than male beef. Additionally, young cattle are also preferred by many people due to the good quality of the meat.
- Fresh beef always has a red color with white streaks interspersed, while the fat is bright yellow. The meat fibers are small, and they do not appear too smooth.
- When pressed, the meat feels firm, not mushy, and has good elasticity.
- Do not buy meat that has turned pale green or dark red, with dark yellow fat, especially if there are tiny spots on the surface and it feels slimy when touched.
- Additionally, avoid buying meat that has a strong, unpleasant odor as it indicates that the meat has been stored for too long.
See details: How to choose fresh beef properly
How to choose fresh white radish
- It is best to buy medium-sized, tapered white radishes towards the tail. Radishes with a thick tail usually contain a lot of water and are bland in taste.
- Fresh white radishes will still have their stems and roots intact, with the stems being fresh and whole. This indicates that they are freshly harvested.
- Avoid white radishes with rotten stems while the skin is still glossy, as they may have been injected with preservatives. They will not taste good when cooked and are not healthy.
Where to buy banh canh noodles
- For this banh canh dish, you should choose noodles made from rice flour for the best flavor!
- Clean banh canh noodles without chemicals will have a natural aroma of rice and corn flour. In contrast, chemically processed noodles will have a stronger smell and lack fragrance.
- Good banh canh noodles usually have a translucent white color, are soft and chewy, with a certain elasticity and resilience.
- Avoid purchasing banh canh noodles that have strange colors or odors, or that are moldy.
- It’s best to buy banh canh from reputable manufacturers or at large supermarkets and grocery stores.
- Additionally, to ensure safety and hygiene, you can also make banh canh noodles at home.
See details: How to make banh canh noodles easily at home
Prepare other ingredients
The beef bones you bought should be soaked in water mixed with a little salt and alcohol for about 5 minutes, then take them out and rinse thoroughly.
Put a pot of water on the stove to boil, then add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 crushed ginger, and a little white wine, then stir well for about 2 – 3 minutes.
Next, add the beef bones to blanch for about 2 minutes, then remove the bones and rinse thoroughly with water.
The remaining ginger should be peeled and crushed. Clean the lemongrass, cut it in half, and then crush it.
Spring onions, cilantro, Vietnamese coriander, lettuce, basil, and bean sprouts should have the old and damaged parts (if any) removed, then washed thoroughly and drained.
After cleaning the Vietnamese coriander, use a knife to chop it finely. Cut the spring onions and cilantro into small pieces.
Grilling onions and frying lemongrass
The cinnamon bark and shallots should be grilled on the gas stove or charcoal stove to release their aroma.
After grilling, rinse the cinnamon bark briefly. Peel the shallots clean.
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it up, then add the crushed lemongrass and chili to fry until golden and fragrant.
Cooking beef noodle soup
Place a pot on the stove, add about 7 liters of filtered water and bring to a boil, then add 1 tablespoon of salt and all the beef bones.
Next, add the white radish, cinnamon bark, shallots, lemongrass, and fried chili to the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 – 2 hours to extract the sweetness from the bones.
Then, remove all the beef bones, lemongrass, white radish, shallots, and cinnamon bark. Add 4 tablespoons of seasoning powder to the pot and stir well until it dissolves completely.
Next, add the beef brisket to the pot, blanch until the meat is just slightly cooked, then remove it. Add 1 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon of chili paste, then stir well.
Finally, add the noodle soup to the broth and blanch for about 2 minutes until the noodles are cooked evenly, then remove to a bowl.
Tip: You can blanch the noodle soup separately, and only add the broth when eating to help the broth last longer.
Final Product
The beef noodle soup after completion has an eye-catching orange color along with the aroma of satay, lemongrass, and accompanying spices that are extremely attractive.
The beef is tender and sweet, each chewy noodle strand blends with the rich broth, and the spicy satay stimulates the taste buds immensely. On chilly days, enjoying such a delicious dish is unparalleled!
It’s really easy to make this unique, delicious beef cake at home, isn’t it? Let’s get cooking right away. TasteVN wishes you success!
