Authentic Oxtail Pho - cooking recipe

Ingredients

water to cover
1 1/2 pounds beef oxtail, or to taste
2 Spanish onions, peeled, divided
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon whole star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
salt to taste
3 tablespoons beef pho flavor paste
2 bunches scallions, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (16 ounce) package dried rice noodles, or to taste
1 (12 ounce) package beef pho meatballs, halved, or to taste
1/2 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced, or to taste
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
4 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) package bean sprouts
1 bunch Thai basil leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
1 (2.8 ounce) can crispy fried shallots, or to taste

Preparation

Bring water and oxtail to a boil in a pot. Skim the foam and oil off the surface. Add 1 onion, fish sauce, star anise, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in pho flavor paste; cover loosely with a lid. Reduce heat and simmer broth for at least 6 hours.
Cut the remaining onion in half and slice very thinly. Place in a bowl with scallions and cilantro.
Place noodles in a large bowl and rinse. Cover with warm water and let soak for 1 hour.
Drop meatballs into the soup 20 minutes before broth is done.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Drain noodles and dip into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer noodles into 8 large bowls.
Top each bowl with sliced sirloin. Ladle in broth, meatballs, and oxtail. Taste and season as needed. Squeeze 1 or 2 lime wedges into each bowl and mix in 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Top with the cilantro-onion mixture, bean sprouts, basil, and shallots.