Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

1kg braising beef or beef shin
1 beef bone
1 onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced
3 garlic cloves
2 spring onions
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 dried red chillies
Pak choi
Udon or wheat noodles
Vegetable oil

The Soup Base
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
100ml Shaoxing rice wine
100ml light soy sauce
Water or stock

The Spice Bag
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Small piece cassia bark
Slice dried ginger

To Finish
Pickled mustard greens
Julienned ginger
Spring onions
Hot oil

PREPARATION

1. Place beef and bone into a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and blanch for 2–3 minutes to remove impurities from the meat and bone.
2. Drain the beef and rinse thoroughly under cold water, cleaning away any scum before setting aside.

COOKING

1. Heat oil in a large pot and fry onion, ginger, spring onion and garlic until lightly browned and fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes and dried chillies, continuing to cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down slightly.
3. Stir in tomato paste and doubanjiang, frying briefly to caramelise and deepen the flavour of the broth.
4. Return the beef and bone to the pot, stirring so the chilli paste coats the meat evenly.
5. Pour in Shaoxing wine and light soy sauce, scraping the base of the pan to lift all the flavour.
6. Add hot water or stock until everything is fully covered, then bring to a gentle boil.
7. Place all whole spices into a muslin bag or tea infuser and add to the soup.
8. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 3–4 hours until the beef becomes tender and succulent.
9. Taste the broth after about 2 hours and remove the spice bag if the flavour is strong enough.
10. Cook noodles according to packet instructions and blanch pak choi briefly until just tender.
11. Divide noodles into bowls, top with pak choi and generous chunks of beef.
12. Ladle over the hot broth and finish with pickled mustard greens, ginger and spring onions.
13. Heat oil until smoking hot and pour over the ginger and spring onions just before serving.

School of Wok Tips

• Blanch beef first for a cleaner, clearer broth.
• Remove spice bag early if the broth becomes too strong.
• Simmer gently—don’t boil aggressively.
• Bone-in beef gives a richer stock and deeper flavour.

FAQs

What cut of beef works best?
Beef shin or braising steak with connective tissue gives the best texture.

Why blanch the beef first?
It removes impurities and helps create a cleaner broth.

Can I use different noodles?
Yes, wheat noodles are traditional but udon works well too.