Taiwanese Beef Noodles

Ingredients

For the Beef and Broth

2 pounds beef shank, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 tomato, large, cut into wedges
1 onion, medium, cut into wedges
2 ounces ginger, thinly sliced
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, roughly smashed
2 tablespoons chili bean paste
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
2 star anise, whole
1 tablespoon rock sugar, or granulated sugar
4 cups beef broth, or beef bouillon prepared according to package directions
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons gochugaru chili oil, or other high-smoke point oil for searing

For Serving

1 pound thin Shanghai style noodles
1 bunch gai lan, Chinese broccoli
2 green onions, chopped, for garnish
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
1/4 cup pickled mustard greens, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1
Prepare the vegetables: Cut the large tomato into wedges. Cut the onion into wedges. Thinly slice the ginger. Cut the green onions into approximately one-inch pieces. Roughly smash the garlic cloves.
⏱️ 10 min
2
Prepare the beef: Ensure the beef shank is cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes and patted dry thoroughly with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min
3
Prepare the sauce mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the chili bean paste, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Whisk well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
4
Sear the beef and aromatics: Heat the gochugaru chili oil in a large wok or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the dried beef cubes in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, and sear until well browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove the beef and set aside. Add the cut tomatoes, onions, green onions, garlic, and ginger to the wok. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
⏱️ 10 min
5
Pressure cook: Transfer all the seared beef and sautéed aromatics from the wok into a pressure cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, rock sugar (or granulated sugar), the prepared sauce mixture, beef broth, and bay leaves to the pressure cooker. Stir gently to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
6
Cook: Seal the pressure cooker according to manufacturer's instructions. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
⏱️ 40 min
7
Prepare noodles and greens: While the beef is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the thin Shanghai style noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside. In the same boiling water, blanch the gai lan for 1-2 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
8
Assemble the dish: Divide the cooked noodles among four large serving bowls. Arrange the blanched gai lan on top of the noodles. Carefully ladle the cooked beef and rich broth mixture from the pressure cooker over the noodles and gai lan.
⏱️ 5 min
9
Garnish and serve: Garnish each bowl generously with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, and pickled mustard greens. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min