Taiwanese Spicy Beef Noodles Recipe

Taiwanese Spicy Beef Noodles Recipe

(Taiwanese Recipe)

1.5kg beef shin, sliced

1kg ox tail, cut into 2.5-cm pieces

1 tablespoon Chinese vinegar

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

a pinch of ground white pepper

1-2 tablespoons cooking oil

10 cloves garlic, peeled

1 large onion, peeled and minced

water

3-inch knob ginger, peeled and finely chopped

15 large tomatoes, cut into quarters

5-6 red chilies, each cut in half

20g scallions, cut into 2.5-cm lengths

4 cinnamon sticks, each about 8cm

6-8 star anise

6-8 small pieces rock sugar or to taste

8 tablespoons broad bean paste with chilies

2kg la mian or coarse rice vermicelli

Salted mustard:

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

200g preserved salted mustard,

  soaked for ½ hour, changing water

  every 10 minutes, drained and thinly sliced

2 red chilies, thinly sliced

Method:

Marinate beef shin and ox tail with Chinese vinegar, light soy sauce and ground white pepper.  Set aside for 2 hours.  In a large wok, heat cooking oil over high heat and fry garlic and minced onion until fragrant.  Add beef shin and ox tail and stir-fry for 5 minutes over high heat until meat is lightly golden.  Add enough water to cover meat.  Add all remaining ingredients except noodles.  Bring to the boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer until beef shin and ox tail are cooked and tender.  Takes about 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove tomato skins, scallions, cinnamon sticks and star anise before serving.  Skim off any oil that floats on surface of stock.  Prepare salted vegetables.  Heat oil and stir-fry garlic until fragrant.  Add salted mustard and chilies and stir-fry until fragrant.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch noodles.  Drain and place into individual serving bowls.  Ladle beef and stock over.  Serve hot with salted mustards.