Beef and mushroom noodles in clear broth
I made these beauties as a hangover breakfast a few days ago. They’re so simple I’m not sure they deserve a full recipe, but they might save someone after a rough night, so here goes :D
These noodles can be made vegetarian by substituting chicken stock for vegetable stock, and not adding any beef. It will still be very flavourful thanks to the mushrooms, but you might need to add a little bit more soy sauce to adjust the taste.
Serves 2
For the broth
1 tbsp cooking oil (canola, peanut or sunflower)
1 spring onion (white parts only), cut into 2 and slightly crushed
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
One good chunk ginger, sliced
1 litre chicken stock
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing)
1 tbsp soy sauce
For the noodles
200g Chinese wheat noodles
5-6 dried shiitake mushrooms
2-3 baby pak choy
About 10 slices of frozen beef for hot pot (optional, can be found in the frozen section of any Asian supermarket)
Handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 spring onion (green parts only), sliced
A few drops of sesame oil
1. 20 minutes before starting to prepare the recipe, soak the shiitake mushrooms in hot water. When soft, take them out of the water and slice them in half - don’t throw away the water, you’ll need it afterwards!
2. Then, prepare your broth. In a wok over high heat, heat up the oil. When hot, drop the spring onion, start anise, ginger and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry until fragrant.
3. Add the chicken stock, rice wine, soy sauce and water from the mushrooms. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to medium/low.
4. While your broth is simmering, prepare your noodles according to packet instructions, then drain.
5. Cut the baby pak choy lengthways into quarters. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the baby pak choy for 1 minute. Drain well.
6. Prepare 2 big bowls, put in the baby pak choy, then the noodles on top.
7. Add the frozen beef slices and mushrooms to the wok, turn the heat up if needed. When the beef is cooked, transfer the broth, beef and mushrooms to the bowls.
8. Top with green onion and coriander, and add a few drops of sesame oil to each bowl. Chili oil optional but recommended if your stomach can handle it ;)
