taiwanese beef noodle soup
Ingredients
(for 4 servings)
4 quarts of water
1 pound of beef shank, cut into thick cubes
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 whole tomato, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 red chili pepper, thinly chopped
2 pods of star anise
3 thin slices of ginger
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of spicy bean paste
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of rice wine
2 tablespoon of sugar
pinch of white pepper
pinch of salt
handful of pickled Chinese mustard (suan cai)
noodle of choice (I used wide flour noodle)
handful of bok choy
Growing up, I would always hear my dad talk about a nostalgic Beef Noodle Soup Stand in Taipei. Since the beginning of shelter in place, I had the largest craving for Beef Noodle Soup. On Mother’s Day, I decided to give it a try. Although mine did not end up as tasty as the ones back in Taiwan, it was an eye-opening experience.
Overall, I never realized the amount of time, ingredients, and patience that goes behind this dish. Now, I have so much respect for those who have perfect this classic, tasty dish. It’s truly a warm bowl of comfort and love.
Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a pan over medium-high heat. Add the cut beef into the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir and cook until all the sides are well-browned.
Add the sliced ginger, garlic, chili, scallions into the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomato and stir for another minute. Add the 2 tablespoon of sugar and let it dissolve. Then, add the 2 tablespoon of spicy bean paste.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Transfer the cooked beef and spices from the pan into the large pot of water. In the pot, add the rice wine, soy sauce, star anise. Stir and bring to a boil. Cook for at least 2 hours until the beef becomes tender.
Using chopsticks or tongs, remove the beef chunks from the large pot and set aside. Strain the remaining mixture.
Cook the noodles accordingly, strain, and divide into four bowls. Add in the warm soup, beef chunks. Garnish with chopped pickled Chinese mustard, scallions and steamed bok choy. Serve and enjoy!
