Hanoi Beef Noodle Soup

2 onions, unpeeled, halved, and studded with 8 whole cloves
3 shallots, unpeeled
5 cm fresh ginger, unpeeled
3 litres water
500 g beef soup bones
2 pieces star anise
3 cm stick cinnamon
1 teaspoons whole peppercorns, crushed
1 Tablespoon salt
450 g rice stick noodles
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
450 g beef steak
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced crossways
450 g bean sprouts
2 limes or lemons, cut into 8 sections
4 chilies, sliced crossways
Fresh coriander, coarsely chopped
Fresh Vietnamese mint leaves

Stir fry the onions, shallots and ginger until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Place into a large stockpot. Add the stock, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns and salt to the stockpot. Bring the mixture to the boil over medium heat, skim the scum from the surface, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 2 hours. Meanwhile, soak the noodles in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring water to cover to the boil and add the noodles. Drain immediately, rinse with cold water, and place in serving bowl. Remove the beef from the stock, making sure these are tender.

Thinly slice the sirloin or flank steak into thin stir-fry strips and set aside. Season the soup with fish sauce and continue to cook over low heat. When the meat is cool enough to handle, slice the beef shank into uniform slices the same size as the sliced raw sirloin or flank steak. Discard the bones.

To serve, place a portion of noodles in a soup bowl and layer the beef on top of the noodles. Then place onion slices and bean sprouts on top of the meat. Ladle the hot broth over the ingredients. Garnish with several slices chilies and fresh coriander. Pass the extra onions, bean sprouts, fresh chilies, lime sections and basil on a platter. Season with additional fish sauce, if needed.

Steamed Chicken with Ginger and Spring Onion Sauce

500 ml chicken stock

3 x 2 cm fresh ginger, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

4 chicken breast fillets, skin removed, trimmed

2 Tablespoons spring onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons finely julienned fresh ginger, extra

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons peanut oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Pour the stock into a wok. Add the ginger and garlic, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Line a bamboo steamer basket with baking paper and place the chicken breast on the paper, making sure the breasts aren't touching one another. Depending on the size of your steamer basket, you may need two steamer trays, or you may need to cook the breasts in two batches. If you don't have a wok and bamboo steamers, you can use a saucepan and place a metal steamer tray over it. Cover the steamer and place it over the wok for 10 minutes, or until the breasts are cooked through. To test, touch the chicken to see if it is springy. Remove from the steamer, transfer to a plate and cover with foil for 3 minutes (leaving the chicken to rest allows the flesh to relax, resulting in tender and moist chicken). Slice the breast across the grain. Scatter the spring onion an extra ginger over the chicken breasts. Pour the soy sauce over them.In a small pan, heat the peanut oil and sesame oil until hot, but not smoking. Carefully spoon the oil over the chicken and serve immediately.