I usually don't put noodles in my soup and add extra veggies instead, but you cannot have Taiwanese beef noodles without noodles... heck it's right there in the name. Luckily Shirataki/Tofu fettuccini style noodles work perfectly in this dish, they are the right colour, right shape and have just the right amount of chew - plus they absorb the rich, spicy broth so perfectly. Give it a try I promise you will love it :)
INGREDIENTS
Soup Base
2 lbs beef soup bones with meat
1 lbs beef shank or brisket
1 bunch scallion
2" ginger sliced in 4
1 shallot cut in half
4 cloves of garlic smashed
1 ripe roma tomato cut in 4
2 quarts or water
Aromatics
2 star anise pods
1 Bay leaf
2 cloves
1 tsp or szechuan peppercorns (or black peppercorns if you don't have)
1/2 tsp fennel
1/2 tsp coriander
1 cinnamon stick
Soup Seasoning
2 tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste / hot bean sauce: see below image)
2 tbsp cooking wine / rice wine / dry white wine
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp beef broth (optional: use in the end if beef flavour is not rich enough)
1 tbsp erythritol (or sweetener of your choice - traditionally rock sugar is used)
1 tsp cumin ground
1 tsp white pepper
Additional soup ingredients to be added before serving
2 packs of house brand shirataki tofu noodles (or boiled wide rice noodles for non keto)
Bok Choy (cut into quarters makes it easier to eat)
Pickled mustard greens
Cilantro
Scallions
STEP ONE
Toast aromatics in a dry frying pan on low heat until fragrant.
STEP TWO
In a large pot add beef bones, meat and water and parboil - which means just boil it for a few minutes to get rid of some of the blood and fat and stuff and then dump it out in a colander and run the bones and meat under cold water. This step is not necessary but results in a cleaner tasting less scummy broth.
STEP THREE
Put the bones and meat back in the pot and add the water, this is your for real soup let it boil then turn it down to low. Add the toasted aromatics and the ginger, scallions, garlic etc. for the soup base. Some people prefer to keep the aromatics wrapped in cheese cloth so it can be removed later. I personally don't care so much and just throw everything in there. Let the soup boil on a low heat with no lid until the meat is tender and can be pulled apart easily with a fork. This usually takes a couple hours.
STEP FOUR
Remove the bones and meat from the broth and set aside to cool). Then remove the aromatics (cinnamon stick, bay leaf, ginger, anise) with a soup skimmer.
STEP FIVE
Add your soup seasoning, add slowly and adjust to your taste. Please use the above measurements as a guide only as measurements will vary depending on how much your water has reduced. If you feel there is not enough beefy flavour you can add some beef stock as well at this point
STEP SIX
Chop the beef into bite sized pieces, and there is usually some good meat on the bones which you can add as well. Add the noodles and bok choy to the broth. Cook until the bok choy changes to dark green but is still crisp. *note shirataki noodles have a fishy smell before cooking from the liquid in the pack. Rinsing and boiling will eliminate this.
STEP SEVEN
Distribute to bowls. Top with a generous scoop of diced pickled mustard greens, cilantro and scallions and serve
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