Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup!
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes (pressure cooker) to 8 hours (slow cooker)
Serves: 6 people
- Oil for frying
- 1.2 kgs/2.7lbs of wagyu gravy beef or beef shin, cut into large chunks (or you can keep them as large slices too)
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 5cms/2inch ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1-2 red chillies (small or large, depending on how hot you want it)
- 1 large tomato (around 200g/7ozs), sliced
- 4 sticks green onion, cut into inch long pieces
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup Shaoxing cooking wine
- 4 tablespoons/60g/2ozs. tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons/45g/1.6ozs. chilli bean paste*
- 5 cups/1.25L/44flozs. water
- 3 cups/750ml/25flozs. beef stock
- 4 star anise
- 1 piece cassia bark or cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 50-90g/1.7-3ozs. sugar (I prefer it sweeter so I use 90g/3ozs.)
-
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into coins
-
1.5kg/3.3lbs white noodles (I like Yang Chun noodles, see pic above)
- 6 pak choy, split in half if they are large
- 1/2 cup spring onions, sliced
- 3 tablespoon sesame seeds
This is the chilli bean paste that I use. It is available at supermarkets and Asian grocery stores.
Step 1 - Heat the pressure cooker, cast iron pot or instant pot on sauté and add some oil and brown the beef on all sides and do this in 3 lots. Remove and set aside. Then add more oil and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies for 2-3 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the tomato and green onion and fry for 2 or so minutes until tomato is soft.
Step 2 - Add the beef back in as well as the soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, tomato paste, chilli bean paste, water, beef stock, star anise, cassia or cinnamon, bay leaves, ground coriander, cumin seeds, Chinese five spice and white pepper. Leave the sugar and carrot out for now.
Pressure cooker or instant pot directions: Set on high/meat for 1 hour. Allow to release pressure before opening.
Slow cooker directions: cook on 7 hours on medium or low
Stovetop: place lid on and bring to a simmer and cook for 4 hours.
Step 3 - When the time is up, add the sugar to the broth tasting for flavour. I like it sweeter so I add the full amount and I think it tastes much better that way. Add the carrot and then cook for the following times.
Pressure cooker/Instant Pot: cook on high for 10 minutes.
Slow cooker: cook for 1 hour.
Stovetop: Cook for 30 minutes.
Step 4 - Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from the water and drain under cold water. Dunk the boy choy in the noodle water and blanch for 1 minute or until soft. Divide the noodles among the bowls and place 2 pak choy halves per bowl. Top with soup, sesame seeds and green onions.