Pho

Halve the onion and ginger and char the cut sides in a dry pan or over an open flame.

~5 min

Why: Charring gives the broth its signature smoky depth.

Add water to a pot along with the beef, charred onion and ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick, and bring to a boil.

~10 min

Once boiling, skim off the impurities, reduce to low heat, and simmer at least 40 minutes to build the broth.

~40 min

Watch out: Boiling hard the whole time clouds the broth — keep it at a gentle simmer on low heat.

Remove the beef, let it cool, and slice thin.

~5 min

Strain the broth to remove the spices, then season with fish sauce and salt.

~3 min

Blanch the rice noodles in boiling water.

~5 min

Place the noodles in a bowl, pour over the hot broth, and top with the sliced beef.

~2 min

Serve with bean sprouts, cilantro, chili, and lime on the side.

~1 min