Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

It’s this time of the year again. Summer is over, the weather starts to get cold. It’s the time to have a bowl of nice and spicy beef noodle soup….

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

2 pounds beef shank or short ribs

2 slices of ginger (for step 1）

4 cloves of garlic, smashed.

3 slices of fresh ginger

1 fresh red chile (can add more if you like it spicy)

1 carrot

1 onion

1 tomato

1/4 cup cooking wine

1 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoon of bean paste

2 spring onion

4 cups hot water

1 small bag of the spice package that you can get at chinese grocery store. (see the picture below, if you can’t find it, you can use 2-3 star anise instead)

Steps:

1. Take a 4-5 quart pot, put in the beef, ginger and then add in cold water until the water covers the beef. Then cook it under low heat for 10-15 minutes. Discard the water, take out the beef and wash the beef under cold water and then set aside.

2. Heat the pot under medium high heat, add in some oil. Once the oil is hot, add in garlic, ginger, onion and fresh red chile. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add in bean paste, carrots, and tomatoes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Add in beef, one spice bag, soy sauce, cooking wine, spring onion and hot water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours or until meat is very tender.

4. Transfer meat to a cutting board with tongs, then cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

5. Cook some noodles, and then ladle broth over noodles and top with meat, and some spring onion greens or some eggs if you like.

6. Enjoy!