Recipe
Spicy Chinese Beef Noodle Soup
Tender braised beef, springy noodles and pak choi in a deeply savoury chilli broth scented with ginger and star anise.
Ingredients
Method
20 mins prep135 mins cook155 mins total
Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over a high heat and brown the beef in batches, transferring it to a plate as it colours.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the doubanjiang and tomato purée for 1 minute.
Return the beef to the pan and add both soy sauces, the Shaoxing wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorns. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover loosely and cook over a low heat for 1½–2 hours, skimming any foam, until the beef is very tender. Remove the onion and whole spices, then adjust the broth to taste.
Cook the noodles separately according to the packet instructions, adding the pak choi for the final 2 minutes. Drain well.
Divide the noodles and pak choi between deep bowls, spoon over the beef and broth, and finish with spring onions, coriander and chilli oil if using.
Notes
Doubanjiang and soy sauce are salty, so use low-salt stock and adjust only after the broth has reduced.
Store the noodles separately from the beef and broth so they do not soften.
About this recipe
Beef shin or braising steak is slowly simmered with doubanjiang, soy, ginger and whole spices until it is tender enough to fall apart. The broth becomes rich and warming without needing a long list of complicated ingredients.
Cook the noodles separately so they keep their springy texture, then ladle over the beef and broth with pak choi, spring onions and optional chilli oil. A pressure-cooker route is included for a quicker finish.
