Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

This is probably my favorite recipe of all time. Although it might be time consuming, it is relatively simple and does not require and crazy skills or fancy cookware. The only equipment you need is something to prep the beef and herbs, and a pot or slow cooker. This recipe is an amalgamation of a family recipe, recipes I liked online, and my own personal touch. My mom has been making 牛肉麵 since I was a kid, and it was always my favorite. I remember coming home from school, I could always tell when we had niu rou mian even before I got to the door, since I could smell it the moment I stepped out of the elevator

This braised beef soup recipe originates from Taiwan around the mid 1900s. It was made after refugees fled from China to Taiwan and wanted to preserve the flavor of their home. 牛肉麵 was born as a result, an innovative dish with inspirations from traditional mainland Chinese cuisine. using common Chinese herbs and spices, while also adding braised stew beef. The main herbs and spices are ginger, garlic, and Chinese five spice. Chinese five spice is a blend of cinnamon, clove, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. This blend of spices adds a deef, spicy, licorice flavor that lends to the personality of the soup. While the spices add lots to niu rou mian, the most important part is the cut of beef. A lean stew beef is best, because when it is cooked for a long time, it becomes very tender. I think beef shank is the perfect cut for this dish, since it is not fatty but also contains lots of connective tissue. This connective tissue contains lots of collagen, which when heated for long periods of time, denatures into gelatin. The gelatin gives the soup more body and a hearty mouthfeel. While the beef is the main aspect of this dish, it wasn’t always. This was because in China, up until recent years ox and cows were used for farm work and towing rather than food. An important technique for the preparation of the beef is braising, where the beef is seared quickly and then stewed. Searing the beef gives the beef color, and adds flavor. Niu rou mian is a beautiful symphony of innovation and tradition, and I believe it is the defining dish of Taiwanese cuisine.

Traditionally, niu rou mian is made with tomatoes. But my mom doesn’t like tomatoes, so her rendition of the dish never included them. While I don’t like tomatoes either, I think the flavor of tomato is an essential part of the dish, and flavor is lost without it. Whole tomatoes can be used, but I usually just use tomato paste. It adds the sweetness and flavor of the tomato, but is much more convenient. The sweetness and acidity of the tomato paste balances out the saltiness and umami of the soup, adding to the complexity of flavor. While Chinese five spice already contains star anise, my mom likes to add some extra. I like the extra spice and licorice flavor it adds, so I usually add an extra 1-2 stars in addition to the five spice. My mom also likes to add pickled mustard greens as a garnish, but I don’t like them at all, so I just stick with bok choy.