Name: Vietnamese-Style Beef Noodle Soup
Yield: Makes 4 main-course servings
Ingredients: 6 ounces dried rice-stick noodles (rice vermicelli); 1/4 pound snow peas, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch strips (1 cup); 1 cup sliced shallots (3 large); 3 (1/8-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger, smashed; 1 teaspoon minced fresh serrano chile, including seeds, or to taste; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 3 1/2 cups beef broth (28 fluid ounces); 1 3/4 cups water; 1/2 pound thinly sliced rare roast beef (from deli counter), torn into pieces; 6 ounces fresh bean sprouts; 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves; 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn if large; 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves; 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, or to taste; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice; Accompaniment: lime wedges

Pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup, is traditionally made with long-cooked beef stock. Our quick version calls for deli sliced beef and canned beef broth instead.<

Recipe information

Yield
Makes 4 main-course servings

Ingredients

6 ounces dried rice-stick noodles (rice vermicelli)

1/4 pound snow peas, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch strips (1 cup)

1 cup sliced shallots (3 large)

3 (1/8-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger, smashed

1 teaspoon minced fresh serrano chile, including seeds, or to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 1/2 cups beef broth (28 fluid ounces)

1 3/4 cups water

1/2 pound thinly sliced rare roast beef (from deli counter), torn into pieces

6 ounces fresh bean sprouts

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn if large

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, or to taste

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Accompaniment: lime wedges

Preparation

Step 1
Cook noodles in a 4-quart pot of boiling water (not salted) 4 minutes, then add snow peas and boil 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well. Divide noodles and snow peas among 4 large soup bowls.
Step 2
Cook shallots, ginger, and chile in oil in same pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots are browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add broth and water and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Step 3
While broth is simmering, divide roast beef, bean sprouts, and herbs among soup bowls with noodles.
Step 4
Discard ginger from broth and stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and salt to taste. Ladle broth into bowls and serve immediately.

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Recipe notes