Pho Bo - Traditional Vietnamese Beef Soup

Place the beef bones in a large pot, cover them with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes, then discard the water and wash the bones thoroughly under cold running water to ensure a clear broth. Refill the pot with clean water, add the salt, and let it simmer over low heat. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface. Also add the beef meat to the pot to cook along with the bones.

After about an hour of simmering, add the roasted ginger slices, yellow onion, and roasted shallots to the soup (roasting them over a flame or in a dry pan releases a much more intense aroma). Add the star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and fish sauce. Let the soup simmer over very low heat for another 2-3 hours. Finally, adjust the taste with salt, sugar, and fish sauce if necessary.

Remove the cooked beef meat from the soup, let it cool completely, and slice it as thinly as possible, against the grain.