Taiwan style beef noodles, the short version

Taste of Taiwan, anyone?

My long search for the real Taiwanese beef noodle stock is finally over, thanks to this blogger. Her recipe is very long but through her post, the taste of this dish from Kaoshiung from eons ago all came back to me.

It was lip smacking good even though I cut short her process. Imagine what it will taste like if I had followed every single procedure – it will be mind blowing delicious!

Everything about the recipe is good but ladling the broth with the meat to the noodles is quite challenging with the loose spices swirling around. If possible, in the process of transferring the broth to the slow cooker, aggregate the spices in a stock net so that less of it will be caught up in the ladle.

Recipe adapted according to my situation. For the full blown recipe, visit ladyandpups here.

For 2

Ingredients :

A)

2 pieces of beef ( palm sized ), cut to ½ inch strips across the grain

1 handful of brown molasses

B)

1 medium onion, skinned and halved

5 pieces of ginger, medium thickness

1 clove of garlic

1 handful of peppercorn, lightly cracked with a mallet

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp fennel

4 star anise

1 cinnamon stick
4 bay leaves
pinch of 5 spice

1 Tbsp brown sugar

C)

5-6 cups of stock or water

1  Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp Taiwan BBQ paste ( shachajiang )

1 Tbsp miso or Chinese fermented beanpaste
1 dash of curry powder
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/2 cup Shaoxin wine
1/2 handful of rock sugar

Method :

Rub the molasses into the beef.

With a little oil, sear the beef until the sugar is caramelized.

Reserve.

In the same pot, heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium heat.

Sear the onion, cut side down until the cut surface is caramelized.

Add the ginger and all the other ingredients in (B) in the order written.

Lastly add the sugar and stir everything through until the sugar is caramelized.

Add the contents listed in ( C ) and cook until everything is combined, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a slow cooker, set to high. If possible, consolidate the spices in a net and cook with the liquid.

Add the beef.

Cook until beef is tender but not falling apart.

Serve with blanched noodles and vegetables.

Garnish with pickled vegetables and sesame oil.