hungry nomad living

There’s something of about beef noodle soup that makes the Chinese dish a favorite to many. My boyfriend and I love the Taiwanese spicy, braised beef version—the kind that tingles your tongue and rolls off with a hint of heat. Since the beef can be prepared in various types of broths, the challenge has been finding a bowl of noodles that tastes similar to the spicy flavors imprinted on our culinary memory.

With tasty memories of huddling  around a steaming exhilaration of star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and tangerine peels as our guide, we decided to take on the challenge of concocting the spicy beef noodle soup in our kitchen. It took a little experimenting with the spices and recipes, but we like this one so far. How do you like yours?

Key takeaways from our “test kitchen” and recipes we’ve found online are:

• Beef shank is the preferred cut. Short ribs can be used too.
• Tomato and onions add complexity to the broth. Some recipes include carrots and daikon.
• Braise the beef shank whole since the meat will become tender and fall apart easily as smaller pieces.
• Sichuan peppercorns adds a numbing and tingly sensation. Chili oil increases the heat.
• Keep experimenting and try different recipes to get closer to your signature beef noodle soup dish.

To help you get started on finding your favorite version of beef noodle soup, here are some great posts that inspired ours:

• {sugarlens} - Beef Noodle Soup (our beef noodle soup is adapted from this recipe as well as Tasty Meals at Home’s)
• Tasty Meals at Home - Tasty Niu Rou Mien - Tasty Chinese Beef Noodle Soup (great step-by-step photos)
• Noodle Fever - Niu Rou Mian (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) (instructions on adding beef tendons with her mom’s recipe)
• Nancy Chuang - Beef Noodle Soup: A Taiwanese Tradition (delicious photos of her “gastronomic homecoming in Taipei”)
• DoctorAndMama - Love, and Taiwanese Beef Stew Noodle Soup (lovely memoir with her mom’s recipe)
• Eat Drink & Be Merry - NRM 2.0: A Revisit of Niu Rou Mian (tips on cut of beef and list of ingredients for a mainland version)
• Viet World Kitchen - Taiwanese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup Recipe (Niu Rou Mian) (recipe sears the beef and uses fresh Thai or Serrano chiles)

Spicing Up Beef Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

Meat & Veggies:

• 2.5 lbs Beef Shank
• 5 Garlic Cloves, peeled & smashed
• 1 Onion, cut into wedges
• 3 Ginger slices
• 2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 stalks of Green Onion (1 for garnish)
• Bok choy or Spinach, blanched
• A few sprigs of Cilantro for garnish

Spice Mixture:

• 5 Dried Whole Japones Chile Peppers
• 5 pieces of Star Anise
• 2 teaspoons of Whole Sichuan Peppercorns
• 1 – 2 pieces of Dried Tangerine Peels

Sauce Mixture:

• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup Dark Soy Sauce
• 1/3 cup Shao Xing Rice Wine
• 2.5 tablespoons Hot Chili Bean Paste
• 1 tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinese Chili Oil

Noodles & Etc:

• 1 bag of Chinese Wheat Noodles
• 6 cups of Water
• Cheesecloth or Sieve

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough to cover the meat, but OMIT adding salt.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the spice mixture in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, prepare the sauce mixture.
4. Rinse the meat under cold water. When the water is boiling,  flash boil the meat. Drain and set aside.
5. Cut into wedges, tomatoes and onions. Then slice ginger into 3 large pieces.
6. Smash and peel the garlic. Cut the green onions into thirds.
7. Heat oil in a large pot and add the garlic and ginger. After a few fragrant seconds, add the onions and tomatoes.
8. Pour the sauce mixture into the pot and stir. Then add the bowl of spices.
9. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot. Add the green onions (save one stalk for garnish) and the meat.
10. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for at least 3.5 hours, and 4 - 6 hours for more tender meat.

Half an Hour Before Feasting Time:

1. Taste your broth. If you want more tingly and numbing sensation, add Sichuan peppercorns. Extra spiciness, increase chili oil. Too salty? Add a little broth or water. Not salty enough? Add more soy sauce.
2. Blanche the bok choy in another pot. Drain and set aside. Cook the noodles in another pot (portions similar to spaghetti). Prepare garnish: mince green onions and pick cilantro leaves.
3. Finally, prepare to eat! Pour soup through a sieve and set aside. Then pull or slice meat for each serving.
4. Get soup bowls out, add noodles, bok choy, beef, and soup. Garnish with cilantro and green onions.