Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (Bun Bo Hue)

Broth

• 1kg Beef Shin (in 1 chunk)
• 2kg pork bones (I use 1kg pork bones and 1kg pig trotters - more flavour but heaps more fat skimming)
• onion
• 8 lemongrass stalks, knotted (green leaves only, keep white ends for later)
• 2/3 jar Bun Bo Hue paste
• 1tb salt
• 1tbs shrimp paste
• White ends of lemongrass, diced very very finely
• sate paste

Bun Bo Hue

• 1pack round rice noodles
• 1/2 log cha lua
• Cooked beef shin from stock, sliced
• onion, finely sliced for garnish
• shallots, sliced for garnish
• lemon wedges for serving
• bean sprouts for serving

Method

1. Rinse bones
2. Boil pot of water (3/4 of 10L pot), once boiled add shin & bones, onion & lemongrass stalks (stalks,trotter & onion at bottom, as they will eventually float and get annoying when skimming fat if not held down by the heavier meats).
3. As it boils, small white bubbles will emerge and clump - this is the fatty bits. It is important to skim fatty bits constantly for the first 10 mins.
4. Once boiling again, turn down to simmer
5. Skim the fat off top of stock every 20 mins
6. After 2 hrs, remove beef shin and set aside (to be sliced later), top up with more boiling water (depending on how much soup you want)
7. Add bun bo hue paste, 1 tbs salt
8. After simmering for another 10-15mins, Turn heat off.
9. Stock can now sit until ready to be served
10. Fry up diced lemongrass in 1 tbs sate paste for 5 mins. This can be set aside for serving
11. Just before serving turn heat back on to boiling, add shrimp paste & fried lemongrass. Simmer for 5 mins before serving. 
12. Soak rice noodles in cold water for 5 mins and cook per package instructions 
13. Prepare bowl with noodles, cha lua, sliced beef shin, onion & shallots. I stick it in the microwave for 1min as meats and noodles might not be as piping hot
14. Add stock just before serving 
15. Serve with squeeze of lemon juice & bean sprouts