Spicy Beef and Tofu Skin Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 pounds | 600g boneless beef chuck, cross-rib roast, or shank
• 3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup | 60ml chile bean sauce (dou ban jiang)
• 1- inch fat piece ginger or galangal (unpeeled and lightly crushed)
• 2 or 3 large green onions (white parts only, lightly crushed)
• 1 1/2 star anise ((12 robust points))
• 2 generous teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 2 cans (()14 oz / 400g) each low-sodium chicken broth)
• 3 sticks of dried tofu skin sticks
• 10 to 12 ounces 300 to 360 g dried Chinese noodles or 12 to 14 ounces fresh Chinese noodles
• Regular soy sauce
• 1 bunch broccolini, (broccoli rabe, gailan, or regular broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces)
• About 1/4 cup chile oil (homemade or storebought)
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 green onions, (cut into thin rings, green part only)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped celery leaves, (rau ram or other assertive herb)

Instructions

1. 1

   Fill a 3 to 4-quart (3 to 4 L) pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the beef into chunks the size of a small walnut. Add the beef, return to a frothy boil. Remove from the heat and drain in a colander. Rinse to remove scum. Transfer to a bowl and combine with the rice wine. Set aside.

2. 2

   Reuse the pot. Heat it over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, add on the bean sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the ginger, green onion, and star anise. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic. Add the hoisin, stir to combine. Add the broth and 2 cans’ worth of water. Add the beef and any liquid in the bowl. Bring a boil, lower the heat to simmer, partially covered for 1 1/4 hours to 2 hours (longer time is for shank), until the beef is just tender.

3. 3

   While the beef simmers, break the tofu sticks into toothpick lengths. Discard the super hard parts. Put in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak while the beef cooks. When it’s tender enough, drain the tofu. Cut it into shorter lengths, if you want. Regardless, add to the pot and heat through.

4. 4

   Boil the broccoli in a pot of water. Use a slotted spoon to remove from the pot and divide among the individual serving bowls.

5. 5

   Reuse the water to boil the noodles (follow the package timing). As that happens, taste the soup. Adjust the flavor with splashes of soy sauce, if needed. Or, thin it with some water or noodle cooking water. Drain the cooked noodles, rinse well.

6. 6

   To each bowl containing the greens, add a spoonful of chile oil. Top with some noodles.

7. 7

   Return the beef to a bowl. Ladle into the bowls, garnish with pepper, green onion and herb. Serve.