Beef Noodle Soup

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup 牛肉麵

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 75 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 to 2 ½ hours

Servings: 4-5

Spices:

2” piece of ginger, peeled and cut into ¼” thickness

3 star anise pods

6 dried red chili peppers, more or less depending on your desire spice level

½ tbsp of sichuan peppercorns

2 packs of Taiwan herb packets (if not available, assemble your own spice packet with 1 cinnamon stick, 1 ½ tbsp of fennel seeds, 1 tbsp of cumin and 4 cloves)

**I recommend putting the spices into an infuser, tea bag or cheesecloth. It will be easier to remove later on.

Ingredients:

1 lb of beef tendon (optional)

2 lbs of beef shank 3 scallions, rough chopped

3 large garlic cloves, smashed

daikon radish, as much or as little as you like, cut into large chunks

1 large tomato, cut into wedges

1 carrot, cut into large chunks

2 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 ¼ tbsp of chili bean paste

¼ cup of soy sauce

8 cups of low sodium beef stock

2 cups of water

black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. If you’re adding beef tendon to your noodle soup, start by partially cooking the tendon in boiling water. This process will take approximately 75 minutes. Refill water as it boils off. After 75 minutes, rinse the tendon under cold water until cool to the touch. Cut the tendon into large chunks and set aside. There will be resistance but, no worries, the tendon will become tender when cooked in the beef soup.

2. Add beef shank to large pot of boiling water and simmer for 8 minutes. Rinse beef under water until cool to touch and cut into 1 ½” cubes.

3. Wipe out the same pot and heat vegetable oil. Add the aromatics - scallions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant.

4. Add chili bean paste and stir until the aromatics are well coated.

5. Add ¼ cup of soy sauce, 8 cups of low sodium beef stock and 2 cups of water to the pot.

6. Put your spices into a tea infuser, tea bag or cheesecloth. Add to the pot.

7. Add in the cubed beef. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for an hour.

8. After an hour, add in the daikon radish, tomato, carrot and partially cooked beef tendon. Cover and simmer for another 60 - 90 minutes until beef is tender.

9. Once beef, radishes and carrots are tender, carefully remove the spices. Soup is now done. Finally.

10. Cook noodles according to package directions.

11. If adding vegetables, blanch vegetables in the soup. Leave in the soup longer if you like your veggies a little softer.

12. Ladle the beef soup over prepared noodles. Garnish with pickled mustard greens (optional).

Notes:

I use a mesh tea infuser to keep track of all my spices. If you don't have one, you can use a tied-off tea bag or cheesecloth.

Adjust seasoning one tbsp of soy sauce at a time.

I like eggless noodles, but, use whatever you prefer or can find at your local asian supermarket. Flat rice noodles are also good but sometimes too delicate for my chopsticks skills or lack thereof.