Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (Hong Shao Niu Rou Mian)

Beef shank is probably my favorite cut of meat.  I love it braised until tender in stew or sliced up cold for sandwiches.  Normally, I get whole sections of shank at a Japanese market but it is a bit of a hassle getting there with a little baby.  On a whim, I asked the butcher at my local market the other day if they had any beef shank available and he told me they did not.  I wasn't expecting a non-Asian market to carry beef shank but Chris the Meatman found me wandering through the aisles and told me that they did indeed have some whole beef shank frozen in the back!  He produced two giant whole shanks, bone in-tact, and told me it was $3.99lb.  Sold!  Chris deboned it and cut up the bones for me.  I instantly thought of making broth from the amazing marrow bones and one thought led to another before I decided to make Taiwanese beef noodle soup.

I've had lots of versions of Taiwanese beef noodle soup and it is generally tender beef stewed in an aromatic soy sauce broth.  Some versions serve the noodles in a clear, lighter broth with seasoned braised meat but this is the version that Hubby likes best.  Unlike Cantonese broths, this Taiwanese broth is not subtle at all: it is assertively flavored and the resulting flavor is savory, vaguely sweet, tangy, and richly spiced.  It's just so soothing on a rainy fall day.

Serves 4 very hungry adults

Ingredients:

• 1 whole shank bone, cut into small pieces
• 3lbs shank meat, cut into 3-4 inch pieces

• 3 tbl spicy bean paste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green onions
• 1 small ripe tomato
• 2-3 star anise
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 1 red chili (optional)

• 1 satchel Taiwanese braising spice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine
• 2-3 tbl soy sauce paste
• 2 red carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks

• Rice noodles or wheat noodles
• Baby bok choy or chopped romaine lettuce
• Green onions and/or cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Rapidly boil meat and bones for about 5 minutes until all the brown scum comes out.  Pour it out over a colander and wash each piece thoroughly but take care not to throw out the marrow.  After washing to pot well, return the bones to the pot and cover with water.  Let it boil and then reduce to a simmer.
2. In large cast-iron pot, stir fry the chili paste, garlic, onions, tomato, anise, ginger, and pepper with a little bit of oil until aromatic.
3. Add beef shank to the aromatics and ladle in beef broth (from the first pot) until it barely covers the beef.
4. Add in the spice satchel, soy sauce, and rice wine. Let the broth come to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours.  Then add in carrots and simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until the carrots and meat are tender.  Cover pot, turn off heat, and let it steep as long as you can before serving.  Skim fat.  Stew is best the next day.

To serve, cook noodles according to package instructions.  Drain and put noodles in large bowl.  Assemble blanched bok choy or lettuce over the noodles and ladle beef stew over it.  Garnish with sliced green onion or cilantro. Enjoy!