Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

This is a recipe that looks daunting at first glance, but is actually quite easy and straightforward. It might require some shopping if you don't have the basics of a Chinese pantry, but most of those "unusual" ingredients get used quite a bit in other Chinese dishes. (When my husband and I got into cooking more of his food after we left China we used to joke that everything used the same four or five ingredients, just in differing amounts - it's funny 'cause it's kinda true!) I've used the wonderful recipe at the Woks of Life as a base, but adapted it somewhat to my family's tastes. Definitely go to the source if you're wanting to work with a more authentic recipe!

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

(3 servings*)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

450g / 1lb of stewing beef

1 medium tomato (quartered)

1 small onion (quartered)

5 cloves of garlic (smashed)

2.5cm / 1in piece of ginger (smashed)

2 green onions**

2 dried chilis

2 1/2 tablespoons of cooking wine

2 1/2 tablespoons of light soy sauce

1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon of doubarjiang

1/2 tablespoon of fennel seeds (optional)

1/2 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 teaspoons of beef bouillon powder

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of five spice powder

1 piece of Chinese cinnamon

1 bay leaf

1 star anise

5 cups of water

Noodles*** (as needed)

Blanched bok choy or spinach (to serve)

Fresh cilantro (to garnish)

Fresh green onion (to garnish)

*We like big bowls of this, but a smaller portion could stretch this to four or five servings.

**Cut in three or four pieces.

***We love knife-cut noodles, but to each their own!

Directions

1) Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, then brown the beef on all sides. Once the beef is nicely browned deglaze the pan with a splash of water and add it to the pressure cooker along with the beef.

2) Stir the tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, quartered green onions, dried chilis, cooking wine, soy sauces, doubarjiang, fennel, tomato paste, bouillon, sugar, black pepper, five spice powder, cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise, and water into the pressure cooker, close, and set to high for 45 minutes. (After 45 minutes the beef should be tender, but not quite to the point of falling apart at a glance.)

3) About 10 or 15 minutes before the pressure cooker finishes start preparing your noodles, greens, and garnishes.

4) Divide the noodles between your bowls, ladle in the broth, divide the beef between the bowls, add the greens, garnish with the chopped green onion and cilantro, and enjoy!