Malaysian Oxtail Soup

I love the rich meatiness of oxtail soup and I was fascinated when I found this recipe for a mildly spiced Malay version. It's not as thick as the usual version I make but it's just as tasty and filling.

Don't forget to soak the oxtail in salted water for at least an hour prior to cooking to remove any bitterness.

MALAYSIAN OXTAIL SOUP
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 to 2 ½ lb (1–1.134 kg) oxtail, cut into 2 in (6cm) pieces
1 medium unpeeled onion, halved
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 coriander sprigs, bruised
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches long)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp coriander seeds
1 dried red chilli
1 ½ pts (887ml) defatted beef broth
salt and black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp finely chopped root ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
small handful chopped fresh coriander leaves
8 oz (250g) cooked angel hair pasta or pearl barley (opt)

METHOD:
Place the oxtail, onion, garlic, coriander sprigs, cinnamon stick, cumin, coriander, and chilli in a heavy soup pot. Add the broth and enough water to cover the ingredients by 1 ½ inches.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 1 ½ hours, skimming any foam that rises to the surface.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes until the oxtail is very tender. Remove from the heat.
Remove the oxtail from the pan and shred the meat from the bones, discarding the bones and any fat. Allow to cool then cover and leave in the refrigerator.
Strain the broth twice through a very fine strainer and set aside to cool.
Refrigerate overnight then remove any fat from the surface.
Return the broth to the soup pot. Add the ginger and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the shredded meat to the broth and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped coriander and cook 1 minute longer.
Divide the pasta or barley between the soup bowls and ladle the hot soup on top. Serve immediately.