Lunch: King Pho Soup

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of King Pho Soup

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 red onions, cut in half (left to right)
2 pieces fresh ginger, cut lengthwise
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
2 tablespoons whole fennel seeds
12 whole cloves
10 pieces whole star anise
5 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
3 to 5 pounds beef bones with marrow (leg or knuckle)
One 2- to 3-pound piece sirloin or eye round
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
2 ounces yellow rock sugar
1 package dry or cooked rice noodles (from a specialty Asian market)

Instructions

Special equipment: a mesh or cheesecloth bagUsing an open flame or baked in the oven, char the red onions and ginger until completely brown to black in color; set aside. Using a saute pan, dry toast the coriander, fennel, cloves, star anise, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Allow to cool, place in a mesh bag and set aside. Using a large stockpot, add the beef bones, sirloin, 2 gallons water, the fish sauce and rock sugar. Add the charred red onions and ginger and the mesh bag and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer over medium to medium-high heat for 2 hours, occasionally skimming the "scum" that floats to the surface. This will assure clear a broth. Remove the sirloin and set it aside to cool. Thinly slice. If using dry noodles, prepare them according to the package directions; if using pre-cooked noodles, there's to need to cook them. Simply place them in a bowl before serving; the hot broth will bring the noodles back to life. For assembly: Place some noodles in a bowl. Ladle in some hot broth. Add some sliced beef. Garnish as desired and serve with the assortment of condiments. For added flavor, add cooked tripe and beef tendons to the soup.
NotesThis recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.