Vietnamese Beef Soup aka Pho Bo

Ingredients:
500g of beef bones (I used leg & tail)
6 cups of cold water
2 yellow onion ~ halves
4" fresh ginger ~ halved lengthwise
2 cinnamon sticks
6 star anise
6 cloves
3 cardamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 pcs rock sugar

Fresh rice noodles (Recipe)
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro/spring onion

Garnish
Beef Shabu
Sprigs Thai basil/fresh mint
Bean sprouts
Thai bird red chilies ~ sliced
Lime wedges
Fish sauce
Hoisin suace

Directions:

1. Add beef bones to a large pot cover bones with cold water & bring to boil on high heat for 5 mins till impurities or scum will be released & rise to the top.  Then drain bones, discarded the water.  Rinse bones with warm water & add the bones back to the clean pot & cover with 6 cups of cold water.
2. Place halves cut onions & ginger onto baking sheet then broil for 10-15 mins; turning onions & ginger occasionally so that they become charred or browned on all sides.
3. On the frying pan, add cinnamon sticks, cardamom, star anise & cloves to toast on low heat.  Stirring occasionally until fragrant for about 5 mins.
4. Bring pot with parboiled bones & water to a boil then lower to a gentle simmer; add charred onion & ginger as well as the toasted spices.  Next add salt, fish sauce & rock sugar.  Continue to simmer broth for 3 hours.  (I use slow cooker).  If at any time scum rises to the surface, scoop to remove it.
5. After 3 hours, use tongs or a wide mesh spoon to remove bones, onion, ginger & spices from broth then strain broth through a fine mesh strainer.
6. In a bowl, add fresh rice noodles, arrange slices of raw meat (I use shabu) then top with hot broth and garnishes.