Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Taiwan

Servings:

Calories: 727kcal

1 kg beef Something fatty for stewing like brisket, short rib or oxtail. Rough chopped into 2" pieces
4 tbsp chinese cooking wine split into 2 2 tbsp portions
1.5 tbsp sugar
7 tsp chopped ginger split into 3 tsp and 4 tsp portions
4 tsp chopped garlic
1 bundle green onion rough chopped, white and green separated
1/2 medium red onion peeled, roughly chunked
1 stick cinnamon
2 large bay leaf
3 large red chilis
2 star anise
1/4 large orange peel quarter orange, halve one quarter and take its fresh skin
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce optional
1 tbsp fish sauce
4-6 stalks bok choy greens and whites separated
2 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
4-6 cups water
4-6 cups beef broth
cilantro rough chopped, stem removed
water cress stems trimmed
noodles

place the beef in a pot and cover in water, add 2 tbsp cooking wine and 3 tsp ginger, bring to a boil for 1 minute, then drain, keeping the meat. Lay the meat out on a drying rack and pat dry
In a large crock pot heat some vegetable oil on medium, til crackling
once the meat has cooled, pat it dry with paper towel, then brown in batches in the crock pot, 1-2 minutes per side
after the last batch of meat is browned, reduce the heat to low, add sugar and stir constantly til it caramelizes, 1-2 minutes
Return the beef to the bot and stir vigorously to coat with the sugar
Add all the spices and sauces, the red onion, the bok choy and green onion whites, the orange peels
bring the heat to medium-high and stir constantly for 2 minutes so everything gets all coated
fill the pot with enough water to barely cover the ingredients, then bring to a boil at high, then reduce to medium-low and cover, leaving an inch of space for steam
simmer for at least 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so and topping up as needed
Just before the soup is done blanch the bok choy and green onion greens
The soup broth in the pot should be super flavorful now, you finalize the broth by diluting it into the plain beef broth as needed to taste (about 1 cup of each broth per serving)
place a serving of cooked noodles in a bowl and add the broths to the desired ratio,
Add a portion of beef and a portion bok choy and green onion
serve with cilantro and watercress to top

pictured is your basic “stewing beef, bone out” but I found it to be too lean to give the broth the body I want.