Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup 红烧牛肉面

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef shank

• 1 bundle noodles

• 1 bunch bok choy (optional)

• 8 dried chili

• 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns

• 3 star anise

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 tbsp doubanjiang (chili broad bean paste)

• 1 knob ginger

• 1 garlic clove

• 2 stalks green onion

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/8 cup dark soy sauce

• 1/2 onion

• 1 large carrot (optional - not traditional but tastes incredible soaking up the flavor from the broth)

• chopped green onions (to garnish)

• cilantro (to garnish)

Instructions:

1. Prepare ingredients - cut dried chili into 1/2 inch pieces and soak in water for at least 15 minutes (then drain), cut green onion into 1 inch pieces, dice onion, cut ginger into slices and smash garlic clove, cut carrot into pieces if using

2. Blanch beef shank - optional choice to cut the beef shank into cubes (or leave as whole to slice after cooked), then blanch in boiling water (add half the ginger slices and green onion pieces) for 2-3 minutes to rid of impurities, then drain and set aside, keep another pot of water boiling for step 4

3. Fry with aromatics - in an oiled pot on low heat (big enough to fill with additional liquid and beef later), add chopped dried chilis and sichuan peppercorn, after 5-10 minutes, add diced onion, garlic, and the rest of the ginger and green onion pieces, fry until aromatic and add back the beef shank pieces, frying for additional few minutes

4. Braise beef shank - add the boiling water from step 4 (adjust how much as you like, this will become your soup broth), then add star anise, cinnamon stick, soy sauce, dark soy sauce and doubanjiang, mix, then lower heat and cover, braising for at least 2 hours (to test tenderness, skewer with a chopstick or fork, it should be easy to go through)

5. Cook vegetables and noodles - cook the noodles as directed on the package and blanch bok choy for 1-2 minutes

6. Serve it up - add noodles to a bowl, add beef shank pieces, add bok choi, scoop in a generous amount of soup broth, and garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro

7. Enjoy!