Beef Noodle Soup
Another one inspired by my mother’s incredible, but non-traditional Taiwan beef noodle soup
Beef Noodle Soup Recipe
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1 lb beef shank, cubed into 3 inch pieces
2 lb beef back ribs
4 tbsp neutral-flavored or shallot oil
200g (3 to 4 stalks) scallions, chopped
60g ginger, peeled and sliced
1 whole garlic, smashed
24g rock sugar
1 tbsp black vinegar
½ cup black bean soy sauce
1 large tomato, sliced in half
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 ½ cups red wine
5 to 6 cups unflavored chicken bone broth
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
1½ cup water
spice packet
6 to 7 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 dry bay leaves
1 ½ tbsp of fennel seeds
2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of coriander seeds
¼ tsp of white pepper
to serve
pickled mustard greens
bak choy, lightly boiled
green onion, sliced thinly
fresh or packaged noodles
Directions
If you don’t have any Taiwanese or Chinese aromatic herb packets (lu bao), begin by preparing one spice packet with the star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, white pepper, and bay leaves.
Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, the cubed beef and half of the rock sugar. Flip the meat occasionally, allowing the beef to caramelize on all sides. When done, remove the beef cubes from the dutch oven and repeat with the beef back ribs.
Once all the meat has been removed from the pot, add another 2 tablespoons of oil into the same pot and another 12g of rock sugar. Toast on medium to medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, and then add the scallions and ginger; stir until they begin to caramelize. Next, add the garlic and sauté for a 1 to 2 minutes longer. Then, add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and continue to sauté for another couple of minutes.
Add the black bean soy sauce and black vinegar, allowing it to boil for a few seconds before pouring in the wine and chicken broth. As the mixture heats up, add in the tomato and spice packets. Next, add the meat back into the pot and let the mixture simmer on medium for 10 to 15 minutes. The meat should be completely submerged in the liquid.
While the broth is simmering, in a separate, small saucepan, pour the one and half cups of water and bring it to boil on medium high. When the water begins to bubble, add the carrots into the pot and lower the heat to medium. We want the carrots to be cooked through, but not overly soft; stir occasionally as the carrots cook, about 5 to 10 minutes. When the carrots can be cut through without too much resistance, but are not overcooked or soft, remove the carrots from the pot and reserve for later use. Pour the carrot-water into the dutch oven with the rest of the liquid and mix well; the carrot-water will impart a natural sweetness to the broth. Then, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot again, and simmer on low for at least 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is easily pierced.
When the meat is ready, prepare another large pot to strain the soup; strain everything through a sieve, before carefully removing the meat. Next, use a large wooden spoon to press on the scraps to extract the extra juices and broth, before discarding the scraps. Add the beef chunks back to the broth.
When ready to serve, prepare the noodles according to package instructions, or use fresh noodles and lightly boil the bak choy. Place a serving of noodles in a large bowl and ladle some soup in. Then, garnish with green onion, boiled carrots, mustard greens, and bak choy or another leafy Chinese green. Serve immediately.
Notes
1. I usually use one these Pouched Spices (mild), as well as create a separate spice packet. You can usually find pre-made spice packets at larger asian grocery stores that carry products of Taiwan.
