Taiwanese beef noodle soup

Photo: Seonkyoung Longest

Taipei's national dish. Beef shank braised for hours with star anise, Sichuan pepper and chili bean paste, then noodles and bok choy. Worth the whole Sunday.

From Seonkyoung Longest · @seonkyounglongest

Beef shank braised with chili bean paste, soy, star anise and Sichuan pepper into a rich broth, served over wheat noodles with bok choy.

You need

• 2 black cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 star anise
• 2 slices dried licorice root (optional)
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp goji berries
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lb beef shank, in large chunks
• 6 tbsp cooking oil
• 15 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 oz sliced ginger
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp toban djan (chili bean paste)
• 2 tbsp sugar (or a piece of rock sugar)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large tomatoes, in chunks
• 2 tsp beef bouillon
• 14 cups cold water
• Baby bok choy, halved (1 per bowl)
• Wheat noodles (1 portion per bowl)
• Chopped green onions and cilantro

How to make it

1. Tie the cardamom, bay, star anise, licorice, Sichuan pepper, fennel and goji in a spice bag or cheesecloth.
2. Put the beef in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and fry the garlic, ginger, onion and green onions until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the toban djan and cook 1 minute.
4. Add the beef, sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy and salt and stir to coat. Add the tomatoes, bouillon, spice bag and the cold water.
5. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently until the beef is very tender, 1 1/2 hours. Discard the spice bag and skim off some of the fat.
6. Cook the noodles and blanch the bok choy. Put them in bowls, add beef and ladle over the broth. Top with green onions and cilantro.

Written in our own words from Seonkyoung Longest's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Taiwanese beef noodle soup, Seonkyoung Longest.

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