Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - INSTANT POT NIU ROU MIAN 牛肉麵

 by Insatiably Epicurious 

Approximately 8-10 servings 

Cook’s Note: If you have a 6QT or 8QT, cut the recipe in half, but cooking time should remain the same.

Special Equipment: 10QT Instant Pot, cheesecloth, large tea ball or spice bag, large colander, plastic wrap, sharp knife

Ingredients:
- 3 lbs beef shank
- 1 lb beef tendon
- 2 bulbs garlic, peeled and smashed
- 4” long piece of ginger, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
- 3 medium onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 scallions, finely minced (green parts only for garnish)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped (for garnish)
- 1/2 lb medium bok choy or yu choy (2-3 pieces per serving), washed and cut in half
- 3 tbsp toban djan (Chinese chili bean paste)
- 1 large piece of rock sugar or 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup shaoxing wine
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 5 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tbsp beef dashida/bouillon
- 14 cups cold water
- 2 cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp goji berries
- 1 tsp Szechuan peppers (optional)
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp Diamond kosher salt
- fresh or frozen Taiwanese wheat noodles or Chinese ramen (1 portion per serving)

Directions:
1. On the stove, set a small pan on low heat. Wait a few min to let it warm up. Add cardamom, bay leaves, star anise, fennel seeds, goji berries, and Szechuan peppers. Toast until fragrant, about 2 or 3min. Turn off stove, remove from heat and place spices in tea ball.

2. Set Instant Pot on Sauté. Once the screen reads HOT, drizzle cooking oil into inner opot. Add garlic, ginger, and onion. Sauté until fragrant. Add tomato paste, toban djan, and sugar. Stir and sauté until fragrant. Stir in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine, dashida, and salt.

3. Add tendon and entire beef shank to pot. Add water and tea ball (if you have time, boil the water on the stovetop before adding to IP- this will help it come up to pressure quicker). Make sure the contents do not exceed the Max line of the inner pot.

4. Set IP on High Pressure for 35min, then 10min Natural Pressure Release. Remove beef and tendon to cool for about 15min.

5. Check the tendons to see if tender enough. If not, place any tough pieces back into IP. Pour about 2 cups with of the broth into IP with tendon.

6. Set for 3min HP, the Quick Release. Check if tender enough. If not, repeat again.

7. Lay flat a large piece of plastic wrap. Tightly wrap the beef shank. Layer with another piece of plastic wrap if needed.

8. Lay flat another piece of plastic wrap. Layer several pieces of tendon together so it is stacked evenly. Roll and tightly wrap the tendon into a cylinder as best you can. Add another piece of plastic wrap if need be. Repeat with other tendon pieces.

9. Place beef and tendon rolls into the freezer for 1hr.

10. Place cheesecloth in a large colander to fit over a large pot. Pour contents of IP through the colander to thoroughly strain the broth. Set aside colander and tea ball and discard contents.

11. Pour the strained broth from the pot back into the IP. Set on Sauté to reheat broth. Skim off any excess oil. Taste broth and add 1/2 tbsp at a time and taste until satisfactory. Keep in mind the noodles are a bit thicker and will need the broth to be more heavily seasoned.

12. On the stove, bring a medium pot of water to boil. Blanch vegetables lightly. Strain and set aside. Discard water and refill pot. Set it on high heat to boil again.

13. Once water comes to a boil, cook noodles according to package directions. Shake off excess water and place into serving bowls. Cook no more than 2 servings of noodles a time or else it will glop together. Change out water after 3 servings of noodles have been cooked. Too much gluten in the water will also make the noodles stick.

14. Remove tendon and beef shank from freezer. Do not remove the plastic wrap. It will help encase the meat better as you slice. Hold the meat firmly in hand and slice approximately 1/4” or however thick or thin you would like it. Pick through and discard any leftover pieces of plastic.

15. Place about several pieces of beef, tendon, and vegetable top of noodles. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. Pour broth into bowls.

16. Serve immediately. Enjoy!