Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Method

1. 1

   Blanch the beef clean — Cover the beef with cold water in a large pot, bring it to the boil and let it bubble for 5 minutes while you skim off the grey foam. Drain, rinse the chunks and wash out the pot — this is what makes the finished broth clear rather than muddy.

   ⏱5 min
2. 2
   • vegetable oil 2 tbsp
   • onion 1
   • garlic 6
   • fresh ginger 30 g
   • star anise 3
   • sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp
   • cinnamon stick 1

   Toast spices and aromatics — Dry the pot, warm the oil over medium heat and toast the star anise, sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon stick for 30 seconds, until they smell like a spice shop. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry for 4-5 minutes until softened and golden at the edges.

3. 3
   • vegetable oil 2 tbsp
   • doubanjiang 2 tbsp
   • tomato 3

   Fry the chilli bean paste — Stir in the doubanjiang and fry it for a full minute, until the oil around it turns deep red. Add the tomato wedges and cook for 4-5 minutes more, pressing them down until they collapse into the paste.

4. 4
   • shaoxing wine 4 tbsp
   • soy sauce 3 tbsp
   • beef stock 1½ l

   Simmer until the beef gives — Return the beef, pour in the shaoxing wine, soy sauce and beef stock and bring it to the boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 2 hours, until a chunk gives way completely when pressed with the back of a spoon.

   ⏱2 hr
5. 5
   • soy sauce 3 tbsp

   Taste and adjust the broth — Fish out the whole spices and taste the broth: it should be deeply savoury with a slow chilli warmth behind it. Add a splash more soy sauce if it needs sharpening.

6. 6
   • egg noodles 400 g
   • bok choy 2

   Boil noodles and greens — Cook the egg noodles in a separate pan of boiling water until just tender, then lift them out and drop the bok choy into the same water for 1 minute, until the stems are bright and still snappy.

7. 7
   • egg noodles 400 g
   • bok choy 2
   • spring onion 4

   Assemble the bowls — Divide the noodles between four deep bowls, spoon over the beef and ladle the hot broth on top. Finish each bowl with bok choy and a heap of sliced spring onion.