Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Niu Rou Mian (Beef Noodle Soup)

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niu rou mian with braised beef shanks and braised short ribs

What I'm about to admit might be a little unbelievable and slightly embarrasing...

I've had niu rou mian every day for the past week. There's something so wrong, yet so right about that. What's a girl to do with braised beef shanks and niu rou mian stock just sitting in her fridge? Eat it, of course. The most surprising part? I'm still not sick of it...I've just ate it all so there's no more left.

Each warm bowl of soup was just as comforting as the last, and comforting was what I needed during finals week. Niu rou mian is the new brain food. I like to think it helped me study.

I wouldn't say my version of the beef noodle soup is authentic, but then again, who is to say what is authentic? This is the version I grew up with, the kind my mom had on rotation. There are little tweaks here and there, but that is the beauty of this dish. The basic ingredients are all there, but it's up to your own tastes and preferences how much of each you add. Here's a little insight on how I do it...

The Liu Family Niu Rou Mian

Ingredients
3-4 lbs beef shanks (Preferably with the bone and marrow still attached to make for a richer stock, or separated by tendons. If it is separated by tendons, the meat will have to be sliced before serving)
1 can chicken broth
1 yellow onion
1 tomato
soy sauce (make sure it's good soy sauce, not some weird Trader Joe's version)
shaoxing wine (rice cooking wine)
rock sugar (the best is the "red" kind from Taiwan)
spices (I use a special packet of spices I bring back from Taiwan, but star anise would work fine)
dou ban jian (hot chili bean paste)
noodles (I actually use a dry flour kind from Nijiya Market)
scallions
cilantro

1. Place the beef shanks in a pot of water and bring to a boil. This prevents the impurities in the beef from getting into your stock later. Remove the beef shanks and place in a clean pot.

2. Add one can of chicken broth (family secret!) and add enough additional water to cover the beef.

3. Cut both the tomato and onion in half before adding to the pot.

4. Add soy sauce, shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and spices in ratios that work for you. The best way to do this is to taste test. To get more flavor into the meat, don't be afraid to add a good amount of soy sauce. I like to thin this braising liquid with more chicken broth or water at the end to make the stock. If you want some spiciness in your stock, add some dou ban jian to taste. I grew up without it, but I think it adds a flavor that many associate with niu rou mian.

5. Bring to a boil and let simmer for at least 2 hour, or until tender. The meat will harden when cooled, so keep that in mind.

6. Before serving, cook noodles, reheat the stock, and slice the beef. Combine and garnish with cilantro and green onions.

Experiment!

11 comments:

  1. Mmmm! My friend's dad makes a mean beef shanks noodle... His secret is to save a big bowl of the soup from the braising liquid and use it for the next batch so all flavors from the previous batches is transferred over.

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  2. may i offer a suggestion, or two? these have worked for me:

    1. While boiling the beef shanks, start the broth pot by sweating the onions in some oil.

    2. Add cilantro stems and the white parts of green onion to the broth.

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  3. Any reason you use chicken stock instead of beef stock?

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  4. Braised beef shanks every day of the week? Yes please! I probably would have had it with rice a few times to take a break from the noodles though. But if you're not sick of it, then you may as well eat it all. I love beef with star anise. Any idea what was in your spice packet?

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  5. have you heard of a version using coke? never tried it..but was curious as to how it would maybe tenderize the meat

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  6. What a coincidence. I was writing my recipe for beef noodle soup when I came back to your blog for the link to your Shilin Night Market post and you had written a recipe for the same thing.

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  7. I gotta try this out for myself! Thanks for the recipe!

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  8. A week and still not tired of this stuff? I know I would be.

    When working with beef shank, I've always found it really hard to get it super tender and eating it when it's not super tender just isn't right.

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  9. I can't wait to try this! I lived in Taiwan for ten years and this is my favorite soup!

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  10. OMG! i am sooooo excited! i used to eat this allll the time in china! but i've been back in the states for about two years now, and i was CRAVING this! THANK YOU!!! :D

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