紅燒牛肉麵Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup

Prep 25 min·Cook 2h 45m

1. 1You're here
   Step 1.

   Put the beef in a large pot of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse off the scum.

   1 kg Beef shin, in large pieces

   5 minBoil / blanch
2. 2
   Step 2.

   Heat the oil in the clean pot. Fry the ginger, garlic, spring onion and onion over a medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes until browned at the edges.

   2 tbsp Cooking oil30 g Ginger, thickly sliced8 cloves Garlic, smashed4 stalks Spring onions, in 5 cm lengths1 Onion, cut into wedges

   Stir-fry
3. 3
   Step 3.

   Turn the heat down, add the chilli bean paste and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red.

   3 tbsp Chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)

   Stir-fry

   Wok-chan's tip鑊仔貼士

   Low heat here: burnt doubanjiang turns the whole broth bitter.
4. 4
   Step 4.

   Add the tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes until they soften, then add the beef and stir to coat.

   2 Ripe tomatoes, quartered1 kg Beef shin, in large pieces

   Stir-fry
5. 5
   Step 5.

   Splash in the rice wine, then add the light and dark soy, rock sugar, all the spices and the water. Bring to the boil and skim.

   100 ml Rice cooking wine (mijiu)60 ml Light soy sauce2 tbsp Dark soy sauce25 g Rock sugar3 Star anise1 Cassia bark1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns2 Bay leaves4 Dried red chillies2.5 l Water

6. 6
   Step 6.

   Cover and braise at a bare simmer for 2–2½ hours until a chopstick slides easily into the beef.

   1 kg Beef shin, in large pieces

   2 h 30 minBraise / stew
7. 7
   Step 7.

   Lift out the beef. Strain the broth, skim off excess fat and season with salt; it should taste slightly too salty on its own, as noodles dilute it.

   1 kg Beef shin, in large piecesto taste Salt

8. 8
   Step 8.

   Slice the beef thickly against the grain and return it to the broth to keep warm.

   1 kg Beef shin, in large pieces

   Knife work
9. 9
   Step 9.

   Squeeze the pickled mustard greens dry and stir-fry in a dry pan for 2 minutes with the sugar and chilli until fragrant.

   100 g Pickled mustard greens, chopped1 tsp Sugar (for the pickle)1 Red chilli, sliced (for the pickle)

   Stir-fry
10. 10
    Step 10.

    Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water until just tender, adding the pak choi for the last minute. Drain.

    500 g Thick wheat noodles (fresh or dried)4 Pak choi, halved

    Boil / blanch
11. 11
    Step 11.

    Divide the noodles and greens between deep bowls, top with beef, ladle over the boiling broth and finish with pickled greens, coriander and spring onion.

    500 g Thick wheat noodles (fresh or dried)4 Pak choi, halved1 kg Beef shin, in large pieces100 g Pickled mustard greens, choppedto taste Coriander and spring onion, chopped

    Assemble / plate