Ingredients
for 6 servings
- 6 qt water, plus more as needed
- 2 lb beef shank
- 6 scallions, halved crosswise, divided
- 8 slices fresh ginger, divided
- 6 pods star anise, divided
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 red chiles, halved lengthwise
- 1 medium white onion, sliced
- 1 piece rock sugar
- 3 tablespoons spicy bean paste, or regular bean paste
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- ½ cup rice wine
- ½ cup light soy sauce
- 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- dried bay leaf
- 2 bundles flour noodle
- 2 cups bok choy
FOR GARNISH
- scallion, sliced
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- red chile, finely diced
Preparation
- Fill a large pot with about 6 quarts (5 ½ L) of water and add the beef shank, 3 scallions, 5 slices of ginger, and 3 star anise pods. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the pot, rinse in cold water, and cut into thick slices. Discard the cooking liquid.
- In a wok or large pan over medium-high heat, pour in the vegetable oil and add the remaining 3 scallions, 3 ginger slices, the garlic, red chiles, remaining 3 star anise pods, the onion, rock sugar, and spicy bean paste. Cook until the onions start to become translucent.
- Add the sliced beef.
- Add the dark soy sauce, for color, stir, then add the rice wine.
- Pour in the light soy sauce, for flavor, then add the tomatoes. Stir fry for 8-10 minutes.
- Fill the same large pot about a quarter of the way with water and heat over medium-high heat. Add the stir-fried meat, vegetables, and cooking liquid.
- Add more water until the meat is just covered, then add the white pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 2 hours, until the meat becomes tender. Remove the bay leaves and star anise before serving.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and cook the flour noodles according to the package instructions. Remove the noodles from the water.
- Add the bok choy to the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes, then remove.
- To assemble the soup, place a generous amount of noodles in the bottom of a bowl. Then, add bok choy, meat, and broth. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, and red chilies.
- Enjoy!
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