Thai Beef Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 300 g thin rice stick noodles (2-3mm thick)
• 150 g thinly sliced rump steak
• 200 g Asian beef balls*
• 100 g thinly sliced beef liver (optional)
• 1 cup bean shoots
• 1 cup roughly chopped chinese celery*, to serve
• fish sauce, chilli powder and sugar, to serve
• Braised beef:
• 500 g beef brisket or other braising beef e.g. chuck steak or gravy beef
• 500 g beef tendon* (optional)
• 3 coriander roots (root end of fresh coriander stalks)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 50 g finely shaved or chopped palm sugar
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole star anise
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 4 slices dried galangal
• 1 tbsp Chinese five spice powder, placed into a small muslin spice bag*

Instructions

1. 1

   To make the broth and braised beef, bring 3 litres of water to the boil in a large stock pot. Add the brisket and tendon and allow the water to start simmering again. Use a ladle to scoop up and discard any ‘scum’ that rises to the surface of the water. When the water is simmering, reduce the heat to medium and add the coriander roots, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar and salt. Stir and use your ladle to once again scoop up any scum rising to the surface. Now add your cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, galangal and the spice bag containing your Chinese five spice.

2. 2

   Partially cover the stock pot with a lid (to allow some steam to escape) and simmer for 90 minutes or until the beef brisket is fork tender.. A little tip to keep your broth as ‘clear’ as possible – as the beef simmers, use a ladle to keep skimming the surface of the broth.

3. 3

   Use tongs to remove the beef brisket and tendon. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside for later.

4. 4

   Strain the broth using a fine sieve. Place the strained broth into a clean pot and keep warm.

5. 5

   When ready to serve, bring a large pot of boiling water to the boil. Add your rice noodles into the boiling water and cook until just tender (use the packet instructions as a guide. Use tongs or a spider to transfer the noodles out of the water and divide among serving bowls.

6. 6

   Into the same boiling water you used to cook your noodles, add your beef slices, liver, and beef balls. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the beef is just cooked. Add in the bean shoots and Chinese celery and cook for a further 20 seconds. Then use a spider and/or tongs to drain and transfer the mixture of ingredients into your serving bowls. Add pieces of the chopped braised beef and tendon.

7. 7

   Ladle over your hot broth. Serve with fish sauce, chilli powder and sugar (to be added to taste).