INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Place oxtails (or short ribs) in a large soup pot, cover with water
and bring to a a boil. Boil vigorously for 5 minutes, then drain.
Rinse pot out well, rinse off oxtails, then place back in pot.  Add 4
quarts water, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns;  bring to a
boil. Scorch ginger and onions (see note 1 below) ; add to  pot. Once
water comes to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer gently,  uncovered,
skimming off foam, for about 3 hours./ Add more water as  needed to
keep oxtails covered.  Add bottom-round roast and simmer until very
tender, about 2 hours  longer, adding more water as needed to keep
meats covered. Remove  roast and set aside to cool slightly. When cool
enough to handle,  slice the beef against the grain into paper thin
slices. Set aside.  Remove soup from the heat and remove oxtails;
discard or reserve for  another use. Line colander with a double layer
of cheesecloth and  strain broth through cheesecloth into a clean bowl.
Let cool  slightly, the refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least
2 hours.  Skim fat from top of broth and discard. (Soup can be made
ahead to  this point. Store beef and broth in separate covered
containers in  refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze.)  Shortly
before serving, bring a large pot of water to a boil for  blanching
bean sprouts.  Place broth in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Season
with fish  sauce. Simmer gently, partially covered, while preparing
accompaniments.  Place bean sprouts in a sieve or colander and immerse
in boiling  water for 20 to 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water; set
aside to  drain. Bring water back to a boil and drop in rice noodles.
Cook just  until softened but not mushy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain
and rinse  with cold water; set aside.  Divide noodles among 6 large
bowls. Top with a generous pinch of been  sprouts, a few shallots,
several basil leaves, slices of cook beef and  slices of raw sirloin or
tender loin. Ladle hot broth over (the heat  of the broth will cook the
raw meat). Sprinkle with cilantro. Each  guest should be provided with
a spoon and a pair of chopsticks, as  well as a small side plate with a
generous pile of salt, another of  black pepper beside it, and a lime
wedge or two. Guests can squeeze a  little lime juice, blend together
salt and pepper in the proportion  they wish, then use the mixture as a
condiment for the beef slices.  Set out small dishes of chiles,
remaining herbs, shallots and bean  sprouts.  NOTE 1 -- To scorch
ginger and onion -- If you have a gas burner, use  tongs to hold ginger
and onion pieces in the flame until charred. If  you have an electric
burner, heat a dry heavy cast-iron skillet over  high heat. Add ginger
and onion pieces and turn until blackened on  all sides.  NOTES :
Recipe by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid  Authors' Note: In Vietnam,
beef bones, unlike pork bones, are  believed to need washing before
using; the recipe starts the  traditional way, with instructions for
boiling the oxtails then  discarding the water and starting to make the
stock.  Nutritional info by Eating Well Mag.  370 calories per serving;
13 grams protein, 4 grams fat (1.5 grams  saturated fat), 70 grams
carbohydrate; 850 mg sodium; 32 mg  cholesterol; 1 gram fiber.  Recipe
by: Eating Well Mag. Jan/Feb 1997  Posted to EAT-LF Digest by Irene
DiGiuseppe <irene@bmd.clis.com> on  Oct 31, 1998, converted by
MM_Buster v2.0l.

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