SPICY BEEF NOODLE SOUP

Sorry, everyone for all the sudden changes in the blog design!  Yes, you are definitely in the right place :). As some of you may not know, I only recently started blogging last month.  There will be some changes here and there, so please bear with me.

Today, I want to share with you one of my all-time favorite noodle soups. It's a little spicy, a little chewy, and 100% slurp-able! 

Are you drooling, yet? ;)

After spending a lot of time researching and experimenting, I can finally say that I am pretty happy with this recipe.  It is not the easiest or quickest recipe, but I definitely felt it was worth my time. You will notice that I am not cooking with beef shank, which is what the Taiwanese/Chinese would typically use.  My husband prefers the chuck roast, but you may use whichever you'd like.  

P.S. It tastes even better the next day! :)

Serving size: 3 - 4

Broth
1-2 lbs beef chuck roast 
4 stalks of scallion 
5 slices of ginger
soy sauce & salt

Seasoning Paste1 T oil
1 T sugar
3 T szechuan peppercorn  (add more if you want it really spicy)
3 T chili garlic bean sauce (add more if you want it really spicy)
1 T ginger (grated)
1 T garlic (grated)
3 star anise
skimmer or colander

Other Ingredients
wu-mu dry noodle (medium) or spaghetti works fine as well - boiled and cooked beforehand
spinach or bok shoy -  blanched beforehand
scallions - sliced thin
cilantro (optional)


1. Place the meat into a large pressure cooker pot and fill with cold water until it's about 2-3 inches above the meat.  Add scallion and ginger. *Do not add the soy sauce/salt yet until the very end! It will ruin the flavor of the broth.*  Place in pressure cooker and cook for half an hour.  (If in a regular pot, cover and bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium simmer for half an hour.)  Remove the green onion and ginger.

2. Heat oil for the seasoning paste in a medium sized pan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cook until it starts to caramelize. Add the remaining ingredients and stir for about 2 minutes. (The smell will be enough to wet your appetite!)

3. Pour the seasoning paste into the large pot and bring the broth back to a boil. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours with the lid half covered.  (If you initially cooked the beef in a regular pot, simmer for 3-4 hours or until the beef is extremely tender... the longer the better!)   When soup is ready, use a skimmer or colander to remove the anise, peppercorns, and ginger. The broth should be relatively clear.  Season with soy sauce and salt for desired flavor.

4. In a large soup bowl, add the noodles, vegetables, and beef first.  Then ladle in the broth and top it with scallions and cilantro.

Enjoy! :D