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500g beef brisket or other stewing beef, cut into cubes

6 tablespoons tomato paste

2 onions, peeled and halved

2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

1 head of garlic, top cut off but unpeeled

2 star anise

1 stick cinnamon

2 bay leaves

1 stalk lemongrass, bruised

300ml (10oz) red wine + a little extra to finish

Water

4-6 tablespoons fish sauce, to taste

Rice noodles

Spring onions, sliced (you can also do some raw sliced white onion)

Plenty of herbs, e.g. Thai basil, dill, coriander

Bird's eye chillies

Lime wedges

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1. Using a heavy stockpot with a lid, toast the cinnamon and star anise on a medium heat, until they're warm and fragrant. Set aside. Turn the heat up, then char the cut side of the onions until blackened. Set aside.

2. Heat up a couple of tablespoons of oil, then sear the beef cubes on a high heat, until they're nicely browned (it's totally okay if you can't get every part of the surface - in fact, you could also skip the searing step). Set the beef aside.

3. Sauté the tomato paste in the beef-scented fat for about a minute, until the colour darkens slightly. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add the onions, garlic, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, lemongrass, carrots and beef. Pour enough water to cover the beef by 1 inch, then add a good pinch of salt and leave it to simmer, low and slow, for 2-3 hours. The beef should be tender and the onions should have almost disintegrated.

4. Before serving, add a few tablespoons more of wine to amp up that flavour, then season to taste with fish sauce. You can also stir in some sugar if it's tasting a little acidic for your taste.

5. Prep the noodles in each bowl, then pour the hot soup over. Top with spring onions, then let everyone finish their own bowls with the herbs, lime juice and chilli

Add the beef, tomato paste, onions, carrots, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves and lemongrass to a large pot.

Pour in the 300ml of red wine and enough water to cover the ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the beef is very tender.

Remove the bay leaves, lemongrass and garlic head.

Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce, adding a little more red wine if desired.

Serve the beef and broth over rice noodles, topped with the spring onions, herbs, chillies and lime wedges.