-----STOCK----- 2-3 pounds oxtails

6 qt Water

2-3 stars star anise

1 ea Big onion

5-6 cloves garlic

1 tb (a small soupspoon) black

-peppercorns

Several squirts of nuoc mam (fish sauce) (2-3 tablespoons) Roast the onion and garlic or skewer over a flame until it starts to blacken. Combine all the ingredients and simmer for hours, the stock should be fragrant and about the color density of fine tea, if it is very dark it is too thick, add some more water. Solids: pho noodles, flat rice sticks, we have been known to use Japanese udon before the real thing was widely available (precooked) Very thin sliced beef Garnish: chopped green onions (include green part) chopped fresh mint Cilantro sliced lemons (they used to slice by cutting through "equator" putting flat surface down on cutting board, and making a series of parallel vertical cuts. This way doesn't squirt in your eyes!) Original method: put noodles in bowl, top with single layer of sliced beef, pour on boiling broth which cooks beef, garnish to taste, add fresh cayenne pepper (ot), black pepper, and nuoc mam to taste, eat. (soupspoon in left hand for broth, chopsticks in right) Americanized: put a small serving of sliced beef in a ladle, dip in boiling broth to cook beef, pour cooked beef and broth onto noodles, garnish and eat. Substitute _small_ quantities of soy sauce for nuoc mam. The broth is not supposed to be dark brown! Pho