Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup with Asian Greens

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) sirloin steak
• 4 ounces uncooked wide rice stick noodles
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 1 star anise
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 4 cups baby bok choy leaves
• 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
• 1 small fresh Thai chile, thinly sliced into rings
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 4 lime wedges

Preparation

1. 1. Freeze beef for 10 minutes; cut across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
2. 2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
3. 3. Place onion and next 5 ingredients (through star anise) in a large saucepan; cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Strain broth mixture though a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Return broth to pan. Add soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Add bok choy and snow peas; simmer 4 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender and bok choy wilts.
4. 4. Arrange 1/2 cup noodles into each of 4 large bowls. Divide raw beef and chile slices evenly among bowls. Ladle about 1 2/3 cups hot soup over each serving (broth will cook beef). Top each serving with 1/4 cup bean sprouts, 1 tablespoon basil, and 1 tablespoon mint. Serve with lime wedges.