Rice Noodles and Beef Soup

• 10 cups water
  2 lbs beef spareribs or 3 lbs ox tail
  1 lb. tender beef (thinly sliced to have 1 cup of beef pieces)
  1/2 lb. onion, 1/2 lb. carrot
  Spices: 1 citronells, fresh or dry (or 1 drop citronella essence which can be found in drugstores)
  1 star anise or 1/2 teaspoon anise powder
  2 whole cloves
  1 piece fresh ginger about 1/2 ounce
  1/2 teaspoon pepper, black or white
  2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  2 cups bib lettuce or romaine broken in pieces
  1 tablespoon chopped green onion
  1/2 cup onion ring finely sliced
  2 cups dry rice noodles

Boil 10 cups water. Burn the whole fresh onions over high heat until golden brown. Add beef spareribs or ox tail into the boiling water. Skim while cooking to make a clear broth. Add browned onions and carrots after 1 hour of boiling. Cook another hour. Then remove meat and vegetables. Strain the bouillon, season it with spices salt, fish sauce as indicated and keep boiling to serve very hot soup. Add boiled water, if necessary, to have 6 to 8 cups of bouillon. This broth is very spicy and a little salty
Slice tender beef finely and cooked beef coarsely. Soak dry rice noodles in hot water 10 minutes before cooking. Cook rice noodles separately until done (about 10 to 15 minutes), drain in hot water to remove the starch.
Serve at once in bowl
Beef soup, rare: cooked rice noodles 1/3 bowl, raw beef minced on top, pour over all ingredients 1 cup boiling bouillon. Add bib lettuce, green onion, and onion rings.
Beef soup, done: cooked rice noodles, cooked beef, bib, onion rings, green onion on top; pour over all ingredients 1 cup boiling bouillon.
Provide the guests with spoons and chopsticks to take the soup.

Source TUVY