Instructions

To blanch the bones

1. Place the oxtail, pigs trotters and beef brisket in a large pot and cover with cold water.
2. Bring the water to the boil and let it bubble away on high heat for about 5 minutes. During this time, a lot of the impurities from the meat and bones will come to the surface.
3. Use large tongs to remove the meat to a large colander.
4. Discard the water from the pot.
5. Rinse the meat under cold water to remove any impurities that might be attached.
6. Place the meat in a clean stockpot and cover with cold water. For this quantity of meat, you will need about 6 litres (24 cups) of water, or enough to just cover the meat.

To make the soup broth

1. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer.
2. Add the lemongrass, onion, ginger and pineapple.
3. Simmer the broth over low-medium heat for about 3 hours. During this time, keep skimming the surface of the broth to remove any impurities and excess fat to ensure a clean and clear broth, otherwise the broth will turn cloudy. If a lot of the broth has evaporated, top up with some boiling water so that the water remains constantly at the same level (i.e. just covering the meat).
4. After 2 hours, add the sugar, salt, fish sauce and MSG/beef stock cube/Bun Bo Hue stock cube.
5. After 3 hours, or when the meat falls off the bones easily and the beef brisket is very tender, remove all of the meat and bones to a large bowl.
6. Remove and discard the lemongrass, onion, ginger and pineapple.
7. Strain the broth through a fine sieve or a muslin cloth, and into a clean stockpot.

To season the soup broth

1. Heat the broth over medium heat.
2. Dissolve the shrimp paste in some water, and then add to the broth.
3. Taste the broth for seasoning – you might want to add some more water if the broth is too concentrated, or perhaps some more salt or fish sauce if the flavour needs adjusting. If you are a fan of shrimp paste, you might even want to add more of this. Keep in mind that you will add the satay to the broth later for extra flavour and spice.

To make the satay

1. You can make the satay while the broth is cooking.
2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients.
4. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the satay smells really fragrant. Be careful to not let the lemongrass and garlic burn, otherwise it will make the soup taste bitter.
5. Set aside to cool slightly.

To serve

1. If everyone likes the same level of spiciness, you can go ahead and add a few tablespoons of the satay to the broth. Add enough until you have the right level of spice.
2. But if you are serving children or not everyone likes very spicy food, you can instead leave the broth as is, and let everyone add the satay sauce to their individual bowls. As a general rule, use 1 teaspoon of satay for a mild spicy flavour, and 1 tablespoon of satay for a very spicy flavour. For kids, I like to add just a drop of the satay to add some colour to their broth.
3. Once the beef brisket has cooled, slice it into thick slices.
4. Place some noodles in large soup bowls, top with sliced brisket and the desired herbs and garnishes.
5. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Alternatively, warm each portion individually in a saucepan on the stove to ensure it is piping hot.
6. Serve immediately.