SPICY VIETNAMESE BEEF AND NOODLE SOUP

Spicy Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

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5 tablespoons peanut oil
3 1/4 pounds meaty oxtails, patted dry
2 large onions, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, chopped
3 stalks lemongrass,* chopped
2/3 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
8 garlic cloves, chopped
7 whole star anise (star-shaped spice)*
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
12 cups water
7 cups canned beef broth (about four 14 1/2-ounce cans)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)*
1 12-ounce package fresh udon noodles (refrigerated Japanese wheat noodles)* or fresh linguine
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
3 cups bean sprouts
6 radishes, thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 serrano chilies, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
6 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
6 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Additional fish sauce (nam pla)

Steps:

Heat peanut oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle oxtails with salt and pepper. Add oxtails to pot and brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Transfer oxtails to large bowl. Add onions and next 6 ingredients to same pot. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Return oxtails to pot. Add 12 cups water, beef broth and 3 tablespoons fish sauce. Cover and simmer gently until oxtails are very tender, about 3 hours.
Using tongs, transfer oxtails to large bowl. Strain broth into another large pot; discard solids. Remove meat from oxtails; discard bones. Add meat to broth.
Refrigerate overnight. Spoon solid fat off top of soup. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain; rinse under cold water. Return to same pot. Toss noodles with sesame oil.
Bring soup to boil. Divide noodles, sprouts and next 6 ingredients among 6 bowls. Ladle soup into bowls. Serve with lime wedges and additional fish sauce.
*Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets nationwide.