Ingredients

The following ingredients have 9 Servings
  • 2 Chinese black cardamoms 
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 star anise 
  • 2 licorice slices 
  • 1 tbsp sichuan peppercorn 
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp goji berries 
  • 2 beef shanks (approximately 1 1/2 lb to 1 3/4 lb), cut into large chunks
  • 6 tbsp cooking oil
  • 15 to 18 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 oz ginger slices
  • 1/2 large onion, sliced
  • 5 green onions, chopped
  • 3 tbsp toban djan 
  • 1 large piece of rock sugar or 2 tbsp sugar 
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce 
  • 1/2 cup shaoxing wine 
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large tomato, cut into large chunks
  • 2 tsp beef bouillon 
  • 14 cups cold water
  • baby bok choy, cut into half (1 baby bok choy per serving)
  • fresh, frozen or dry wheat noodles (1 portion per serving)
  • chopped green onions & cilantro

Instruction

  • Bring all spices for spice bag and toast them on a dry pan until you can smell aroma, about 2 minutes. Place in a spice bag and fold it tight. Set aside.
  • Blanch beef in a large pot (8 qt) of boiling water for 1 minute to get rid of excess blood. Drain and set aside. Quickly rinse now-empty-pot to make soup.
  • Heat now-empty-pot over high heat and add cooking oil. Add garlic, ginger, onion and green onion. Sauté everything about 1 to 2 minute, then add toban djan and rock sugar. Sauté all together for 1 minute then add soy sauce, shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce and salt, stir. 
  • Add blanched beef, tomatoes and beef bouillon. Stir everything together so tomato melts and beef will absorb sauces, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour water and finally add spice bag. Stir one good time and bring it boil. When it’s boiling, cover and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes. 
  • When soup has about 10 minutes to finish cooking, bring another pot of salted water to boil. Blanch baby bok choy for 1 minute and remove from water. Set aside. Cook noodles by following directions of package you’re using. Drain and place in a serving bowl. Pour beef soup into noodle bowl, garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately. Enjoy!