4 cups beef stock
2-4 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 ounces beef sliced as thin as possible (sirloin works well)
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 12 ounce package bean sprouts
1 plum tomato thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions sliced thin
1 jalapeño pepper sliced paper thin on a mandolin
1 large bunch of cilantro roughly chopped stems and all
8-10 large basil leaves
8-10 mint leaves
2 limes cut into wedges
1 small bottle hoisin sauce
Bring the beef broth to a simmer in a small pot over medium high heat. Add the fish sauce and the sugar a little at a time, tasting for strength. How much should be used will be determined by the strength of the fish sauce and personal taste. With the stock still at a simmer, turn off the heat and add the sliced beef and onion. Stir until the beef is just cooked. Place some of the bean sprouts, tomato, scallions, and jalapeno pepper into 4 large soup bowls. Ladle the hot soup on top of the vegetables. Place the remaining vegetables along with the chopped cilantro, basil, mint, and limes on a large plate and allow your dinner companions to flavor their own soup. Add hoisin to taste.
