History

Beef noodle soup is a postwar Taipei invention, born when 1949 mainland refugees combined Sichuan-style spicy beef braise with Shandong hand-pulled noodle technique. The military veterans' kitchens in Kaohsiung's Gangshan are widely credited with the first bowl, but Taipei (and Yong Kang Beef Noodle since 1963, Liu Shan Dong since 1949) built the canon. The Taipei City Government has run the annual International Beef Noodle Festival since 2005, anointing the bowl as the city's signature. Two broths dominate the city: red-braised (hong shao) and clear (qing dun).

Common allergens: Gluten, Soy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 40 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg beef shank with tendon, cut into 5cm chunks
  • 2 large tomatoes, quartered
  • 3 spring onions, white and green parts separated
  • 30g fresh ginger, sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 dried bird's-eye chillies
  • 60g doubanjiang (Sichuan broad bean paste)
  • 120ml dark soy sauce
  • 60ml Shaoxing rice wine
  • 30g rock sugar
  • 2 litres water
  • 500g fresh wheat noodles or ribbon-style hand-cut
  • 200g pickled mustard greens, finely chopped
  • Coriander leaves, to serve

Method

  1. Blanch the beef in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes; drain and rinse off scum.
  2. Heat 30ml vegetable oil in a heavy pot, fry ginger, spring onion whites and garlic until fragrant, 2 minutes.
  3. Add doubanjiang, star anise, cinnamon and chillies, stir 30 seconds until aromatic.
  4. Return beef to the pot with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar and tomatoes. Cover with 2 litres water.
  5. Bring to the boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, cook 2.5 hours until the shank is fork-tender and tendon translucent.
  6. Cook noodles per pack (about 3 minutes); divide between bowls.
  7. Ladle hot broth and 3 to 4 pieces of beef over each bowl. Top with pickled mustard greens, coriander and chopped spring onion greens. Serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. Make a day ahead; the braise deepens overnight. Don't skip the tendon, the chewy translucent texture is half the bowl.

Where to eat beef noodle soup

Beef noodle soup in Taipei

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