Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Tender chunks of beef, immersed in an impossibly flavourful broth, over a bed of chewy noodles - essentially a hug in a bowl!

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/taiwanese-beef-noodle-soup-2 • Posted by Chyuen

This bowl of perfectly orchestrated spicy, savoury, fresh, salty deliciousness is one of Taiwan's most iconic dishes. The beef noodle soup can be found everywhere in Taiwan, from night markets to traditional dining halls. The broth is so intensely flavourful, with incredibly tender chunks of beef - my mouth is starting to water as I type this! You need to try this now, like NOW.

You will need

Neutral Oil 450 g Braising Beef , sliced into 1 inch chunks (eef shank, beef chuck, tri-tip roast or flank steak works too) Salt and Pepper (I used about 1/8 teaspoon each) ½ x Large Onion ¼ cup Garlic , peeled and smashed 2 x Spring Onions 2 tbsp Spicy Chilli Broad Bean Paste (also known as doubanjiang) 1 tsp Ginger , grated 1 l Water ¼ cup Shaoxing Wine 1 Small Tomato , diced ¼ cup Light Soy Sauce 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce 1 tbsp White Sugar 2 x Star Anise 2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
To Serve
3 x Small Heads of Bok Choy , ends trimmed 250 g Noodles of your choice (I used thick rice vermicelli) 2 x Spring Onions , sliced

Project Budget

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Difficulty

Description

This bowl of perfectly orchestrated spicy, savoury, fresh, salty deliciousness is one of Taiwan's most iconic dishes. The beef noodle soup can be found everywhere in Taiwan, from night markets to traditional dining halls. The broth is so intensely flavourful, with incredibly tender chunks of beef - my mouth is starting to water as I type this! You need to try this now, like NOW.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil up in a large pot over medium-high heat. While it’s heating up, season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot enough (it’ll look like its shimmering), add the beef in to sear. Turn it occasionally until browned on all sides- this should take about 5-7 minutes.

2. Remove the beef from the pot. Add the onion, garlic, spring onions, and ginger to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until onion just begins to soften. Add the spicy bean paste and stir to distribute.

3. Add the beef back into the pot, along with water, shaoxing wine, tomato, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise and five-spice powder. Bring the mixture to a boil before lowering the heat to medium-low and let simmer away for at least 2 hours, ideally 3. If any scum forms at the top, simply skim it off. (Note: You can make Steps 1-3 the night before and let the stew chill in the fridge overnight)

4. When you’re ready to eat, bring the stew up to a boil again while you prepare the bok choy and noodles. If the soup has cooked down too much, add a cup or so of water to dilute it slightly.

5. For the bok choy and noodles, bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the bok choy and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until its tender and leaves are dark green. Remove with tongs once it’s done and add the noodles; cook the noodles according to the package. Divide the noodles, bok choy, beef, and broth evenly, then top with spring onions and cilantro and enjoy! (Note: Do not cook the noodles in the stew, it will make the broth really starchy)