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Ingredients:
2 lb beef shin bones
11oz gravy beef
2 in. piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
2.5 litres water
6 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
6 coriander seeds
2 tbsp fish sauce
12 oz fresh rice noodles
4 oz rump steak, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 medium onion, very thinly sliced

Toppings:
chopped red chilli, beansprouts, fresh purple basil, chopped spring onion, thin lime wedges, fresh coriander leaves, chilli sauce, hoisin sauce (all optional)

Method:

Place the bones, gravy beef, ginger, salt, and water in a large pan. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently for 3 1/2 hours. Skim off any scum that forms. Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and fish sauce, and cook for another 40 minutes. Remove the gravy beef and set it aside to cool. Drain the stock, reserving all the liquid and discarding the bones and spices; return the liquid to the pan. When the gravy beef is cool enough to handle, cut it against the grain into very fine slices. Set aside.

Close to serving time, plunge the noodles into a pan of boiling water and cook for about 10 seconds only, otherwise they will soften and fall apart. Drain the noodles well and divide among large individual soup bowls.

Arrange the toppings on a platter in the center of the table

Bring the stock to a rapid boil. Place some slices of the cooked meat as well as a few slices of the raw steak into each bowl of noodles. Ladle the boiling stock over the top, sprinkle over the spring onion and onion slices, and serve. Each diner chooses their own toppings and can also add sauces such as a swet chilli sauce and hoisin sauce to their dish.