Unicorn (Unicorn@Indenial.com)
Tue, 21 Sep 1999 05:39:56 -0400
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: FOOD FUNNY :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reader Sue from New York sent us this true food funny:
I was recently at a Chinese/Japanese restaurant with some colleagues
of mine. One of them brought her 7 year old daughter, Rebecca. I was
asking Rebecca about the kinds of Chinese food she likes to eat &
asked her if she eats sushi. She told me all of her favorite dishes
and said she knew what sushi was but had never tasted it.
As the meal was being served, my colleagues were discussing a recent
firing at our workplace. Jumping from the Rebecca conversation, I
asked, "Is that ethical?" just as my sushi was being served.
"No," Rebecca chimed in, "It's Japanese!"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TODAY'S RECIPE ::::::::::::::::::::::::::
If Vietnam had an official national dish, this would be it. Typically
a breakfast dish, it is also to be found on most luncheon and dinner
menus. It's actually as much of a salad as a soup, and is usually
served as a one-dish meal.
Pho (Vietnamese Beef Soup)
5 to 6 lb (2.5 - 3 Kg) beef bones, cut
into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces
1 lb (500 g) stew beef, cut into 1/2 inch
(1 cm) pieces
4 onions, very thinly sliced
A 1 inch (2 cm) piece of fresh ginger
root, scraped and thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise*
1 tsp (5 ml) whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 lb (500 g) fresh bean sprouts
1/2 lb (250 g) dried rice noodles
6 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced,
including the green parts
1 lb (500 g) rump steak, sliced paper thin into
pieces about 2 by 4 inches (5 x 10 cm)
2 lemons, cut into wedges
2 hot red chillies, sliced into thin rings
* Available in finer supermarkets and Asian specialty shops.
Place the bones and stew meat in a large soup pot and add 10 cups (2.5
L) water. Add half the sliced onions, the ginger, cinnamon, star
anise, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a boil and turn the heat to a
very low simmer. Skim the foam from the surface and cook covered for
6 hours.
Soak the noodles in enough water to cover for 2 hours. Drain and cook
in enough boiling water to cover until just tender. Do not overcook.
Drain well and set aside.
Blanche the bean sprouts by pouring boiling water over them in a
colander. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
To serve, divide the noodles among individual serving bowls. Top the
noodles with bean sprouts, sliced scallions, sliced onions, and the
paper thin slices of beef. Ladle the broth over the beef and noodles.
The heat from the broth is enough to cook the beef, which should be
slightly pink. Serve with lemon wedges, sliced chillies, nuoc cham,
and vegetable platter. Serves 6 to 8 as a main dish.
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