Southern Yunnan-Style Beef Noodle Soup (Niurou Mixian, 牛肉米线)
Servings: 4 bowls
The Mala Market
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 pounds cross-cut beef shanks, including marrow bones (sometimes labeled osso bucco)
- 1½ pounds beef bones
- 2–3 white cardamom pods, depending on size
- 1–2 black cardamom pods, depending on size
- 1 star anise
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 12 ounces dried rice noodles, ideally mixian
- 12 ounces tender raw beef, such as skirt steak or sirloin, sliced very thin
For the Toppings—Any Combination of:
- Fresh mint
- Garlic chives, blanched, rinsed in cold water, and cut into 1–2-inch pieces
- Scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced
- Minced garlic covered with 1” water
- Minced peeled ginger
- Dried chili in oil (homemade or purchased)
- Ground Sichuan pepper
- Pickled greens, ideally Yunnan suancai or similar
- Pickled chilies, finely chopped
- Light soy sauce
- Zhenjiang vinegar
- Dried ground chili
Instructions
- Put the beef shanks and bones into a large pot with the white and black cardamom, star anise and fennel seeds and cover with 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam and detritus that rises to the surface and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the broth, covered, for at least 4 hours and up to 8.
- When the broth is done, stir in the salt, then taste and add more as needed. (The broth will be almost flavorless before this; adding the salt really brings out the meat’s flavor.) Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the cooked shank meat to add to the soup, then put it back on the stove to keep hot (or refrigerate for up to 5 days).
- To cook the noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the dried noodles. Let them boil until they’re tender but still just a bit chewy/firm in the center; 10–12 minutes for Yunnan mixian. (If you pull on one of the noodles, it should stretch a bit). Turn off the heat and let the noodles keep soaking for 5–7 minutes, until they’re bouncy and tender all the way through. Rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch and set them aside.
- To assemble the soups, divide the noodles between four large bowls and top each with ¼ of the raw beef and as much of the stewed beef as you like. Bring the broth up to a rolling boil, then ladle the broth into the bowls, pouring it over the pieces of raw beef to help them cook. Add toppings to your liking.