Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Taiwan’s most beloved noodle dish — a spiced, soy-braised beef broth of extraordinary depth.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef shank or chuck, cut into large pieces
• 8 cups beef broth or water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy bean paste) — essential
• 3 tbsp soy bean paste
• 3 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 dried chilies
• 1 onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2-inch ginger, sliced
• 1 tbsp sugar

Noodles (fresh or dried Chinese wheat noodles)

• Bok choy, green onion, sesame oil, chili oil to serve

Directions

1. Brown beef pieces in sesame oil in a large pot. Remove.
2. Fry doubanjiang in remaining fat 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and onion.
3. Add rice wine, soy sauces, and bean paste. Cook 2 min.
4. Add beef, broth, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, dried chilies, and sugar.
5. Bring to a boil then simmer covered 2-2.5 hours until beef is very tender.
6. Remove beef and slice. Strain broth. Season.

Cook noodles separately. Blanch bok choy.

1. Build bowls: noodles, broth, sliced beef, bok choy.
2. Finish with green onion, sesame oil, and chili oil.

Notes

Doubanjiang (Sichuan spicy bean paste) is the defining ingredient — it provides the distinctive red color and complex, savory-spicy flavor unique to this soup.