Parboil the meat and bones

• Cover the beef bones, shin, oxtail and brisket with cold water and parboil for a couple of minutes to remove impurities.
• Drain and rinse the meat, then stack it back into a clean pot.

Build the broth

• Fill the pot with cold water and set it on the hob.
• Smash the lemongrass and add it with the onions and daikon.
• Season with salt, chicken powder, rock sugar and MSG.
• Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and leave it to cook.

Make the sa tế chilli oil

• Mince the lemongrass, shallots and garlic by hand as finely as possible.
• Heat the neutral oil with the annatto seeds over gentle heat to extract the red colour, then remove the seeds.
• Add the minced aromatics, gochugaru, chilli flakes and chilli powder.
• Cook gently, then set aside to cool so the flavour deepens and mellows.

Cook the noodles

• Cook the thick rice vermicelli according to the packet instructions.
• Rinse the noodles with cold water to wash off the starch.

Strain the broth and finish

• After two and a half hours, remove the vegetables and any beef that is not on the bone.
• Top the pot back up with water and simmer for another hour with the bones.
• Add the fish sauce near the end so it doesn't turn sour.

Slice the meat

• Slice the cooked shin and brisket.
• Slice the chả mỡ.

Season the broth

• Drop the sliced chả mỡ into the broth.
• Stir in the sa tế chilli oil.

Prepare the shrimp paste

• Spoon the shrimp paste into a bowl with a couple of spoonfuls of broth and mix to loosen it.

Prepare the garnishes

• Shred the banana blossom.
• Chop the spring onions and coriander.
• Pick the mint and Vietnamese coriander leaves.
• Cut the lime into wedges.

Assemble the bowls

• Place the noodles in bowls and top with the sliced shin, brisket and chả mỡ.
• Ladle over the hot broth.
• Add the shrimp paste liquid, then finish with banana blossom, spring onions, herbs, lime wedges and extra sa tế.