Hong Kong Beef Brisket Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1.2kg beef brisket or rough flank
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp chu hou paste
• 2 cubes fermented red bean curd
• 6 slices ginger
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 small piece dried tangerine peel
• 60ml Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 25g rock sugar
• 1.5 litres water
• 700g daikon radish
• 400g thin fresh egg noodles
• 200g choy sum or gai lan
• 3 spring onions
• Salt, to taste
• Chilli oil, to serve

Before you cook

• Cut the brisket into chunks about 4cm across, leaving the fat and tendon on.
• Peel the daikon and roll-cut it into pieces the same size as the beef.
• Smash the garlic cloves and rinse the tangerine peel.
• Slice the spring onions and trim the greens.

Steps

1. Put the brisket in a large pot, cover it with cold water and bring it to the boil.
2. Boil for 5 minutes, skimming off the grey foam as it rises.
3. Drain the beef and rinse each piece under warm water.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over medium heat.
5. Fry the ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon and tangerine peel for 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the chu hou paste and the fermented bean curd and fry for 1 minute, mashing the bean curd into the oil.
7. Add the brisket and turn it until every piece is coated in the dark paste.
8. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and let it bubble hard for 30 seconds.
9. Add the soy sauces, rock sugar and water.
10. Bring to the boil, then drop the heat to the barest simmer and cover the pot.
11. Cook for 2 hours, until a chopstick pushes into the meat with no resistance.
12. Add the daikon and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, until it turns translucent.
13. Taste the broth and add salt if it needs it.
14. Blanch the greens in boiling water for 1 minute and lift them out.
15. Cook the egg noodles in the same water for 90 seconds.
16. Drain the noodles well and divide them between deep bowls.
17. Ladle the brisket, daikon and plenty of broth over each portion.
18. Top with the greens and spring onions and serve with chilli oil on the side.