Green Leafy Recipe: Spicy Beef Noodle Soup 紅燒牛肉麵 Recipe

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

I love me some Spicy Beef Noodle soup.  It's comfort food at it's best- light, flavorful and satisfying.
 Basic Beef Noodle soup is usually composed of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese Noodles.  When soy sauce and chilies are added to Beef Noodle soup, it is called "Red Roasted" or Spicy Beef Noodle soup- meaning, the stew meat has been stir fried with hot sauce, hot bean paste or chilies, before being simmered as soup. Beef Noodle Soup is very versatile, there are several variations of broths, such as spicy, tomato, garlic, and herbal medicine. Also, the soup has many complimentary garnishes--such as Suan Cai (pickled vegetables),scallions, cilantro, and basically any Green Leafy Vegetable.


People throughout Asia enjoy this dish and some take it very seriously.  Some versions are simmered for long periods of time with bone marrow, while others cook their beef stock for as long as 24 hours. In Taiwan, Beef Noodle Soup is a national dish. Taipei holds an annual Beef Noodle Festival, where various chefs and restaurants compete to see who is the best.


My family has a tradition to order Spicy Beef Noodle soup wherever available. When we would visit Taiwan, for months at a time, and we eat Spicy Beef Noodle soup daily. From street vendors, bistros and places rumored to never change the pots of broth (they would just keep adding water to the original). Taiwanese style typically has Suan Cai and Bok Choy, Spinach or Lettuce.


I've kept up the tradition and have ordered Spicy Beef noodle soup throughout my travels. In Beijing, I found the soup to be light and savory but missing the rich flavor of anise. In Shanghai, I had a chance to try out both Shanghainese and the Chinese Muslim version of Beef Noodle soup (清燉牛肉麵).  The Shanghainese style is a light colored soup with mostly hearty vegetables, such as Carrots and Winter Melon. The Chinese Muslim Beef Noodle soup had salt, red chilies, star anise, white pepper and scallions, but no soy sauce.  I found the soup to be very light and basic.


Not going to Asia anytime soon? (It's ok--it's hard times for everyone.) Best Spicy Beef Noodle in the World? hands down, Mary Chung's (Cambridge, MA). Best Spicy Beef Noodle soup in Vancouver is Cabin 555 (in Kerrisdale). Not feeling like braving the commute? Make it at home tonight.

Anise: the Star of Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup Recipe
(This is definitely an Eye-Ball-It recipe--use all ingredients to your taste--and if you don't know what your tastes are--find out, Dummy.)


Ingredients
Handful of whole Anise Spice

Smashed Garlic (2-5 cloves)

Sliced Ginger (1 inch long pieces)

Chopped Carrots and Celery (cut into inch pieces)

Soy Sauce (2 tbs)
Oyster Sauce (2 tbs)
Chili Paste and/or chopped chilies (to taste)
Stewing beef or any cut you'd like (look for fat marbling) cubed
Beef Broth (enough to cover mixture by 2 inches)


Accents: Orange Zest (nice je ne c'est quoi flavor) or handful of Dried Shitake Mushrooms (gives a nice earthy flavor).


Vegetables Add-ins-choose from:
Arugula (garden rocket)
Asparagus
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprout tops
Cabbage
Dandelion
Garden cress
Iceberg lettuce
Leek
Lettuce
Radichetta, radicchio “asparagus chicory,” “catalogna,” or “country lettuce.”
Romaine
Spinach
Spring greens
Stinging nettle
Watercress


Garnish: Chopped Scallions or Cilantro


Preparation


In Pressure Cooker, add oil and when heated add  first 7 ingredients (to chili paste). Stir fry until crisp tender. Add cubed beef-stir to coat. Add Beef Broth (enough to cover your mixture by 2 inches). Bring to boil. Add chosen accent. Close lid and once at HIGH pressure cook for 30 minutes. Turn heat source to medium and continue to cook on HIGH for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook Chinese Noodles.
Slow release pressure. Add chosen Vegetable to simmer broth.


If using...
Asparagus
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprout tops
Cabbage
Leek
...add to simmering broth until crisp tender

If using...
Arugula (garden rocket)
Dandelion
Garden cress
Iceberg lettuce
Lettuce
Radichetta, radicchio “asparagus chicory,” “catalogna,” or “country lettuce.”
Romaine
Spinach
Spring greens
Stinging nettle
Watercress
...add washed Vegetable to serving bowl. Discard Celery and Anise. Top with hot cooked Noodles. Ladle broth over mixture. Add chosen Garnish and serve.


Note: Depending on what cut of meat you chose--you may want to let the broth cool and then skim any fat solids