Directions

Blanch the Beef

1. Cut the beef into 1 inch cubes. Beef brisket, shank, and chuck work well for this recipe.

2. Add 2 liters / 8 cups of water, beef, and beef bones to a stock pot, then bring it to a boil over high heat. Beef bone will give the broth a collagen-rich foundation. You can also use beef neck, femur bone, or ribs.
3. Use a sieve to skim the foamy scum. Remove the beef from the pot and rinse under running water to eliminate the foamy scum. Drain and set the beef on the side.
4. Let the blanching water go through a cheesecloth to remove the impurities. Then reserve the broth on the side.

Braise the Beef

1. Add oil and sugar to a clay pot and stir over low heat until caramelized, which takes a few minutes.  

2. When the caramelized sugar starts to produce foamy bubbles, add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Sichuan Dou Ban Jiang, and tomato paste. Continue to stir over medium heat for a few minutes or until well combined.
3. Add the beef and Chinese cooking wine to the clay pot, then mix well.
4. Pour in the reserved blanching broth. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil.
5. Meanwhile, put ginger, garlic, scallions, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, star anise, aged orange peel, dried red chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns into a spice bag, then add to the clay pot.
6. Turn the heat to low and simmer the beef for 2 hours or until tender. You can make this dish in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or Dutch oven. Some cookware is air-tight some isn't, so the water evaporates differently. Please adjust the water amount based on your situation. If you need to add more water, add hot water.
7. Discard the spicy bag. Make sure to squeeze the liquid so you don't waste anything.
8. Take out the beef neck bones and detach the meat. Put the meat back into the clay pot and discard the bones.
9. Taste the broth and add salt to adjust the saltiness. Set the clay pot on the side while cooking the noodles.

Cook the Noodles and Serve

1. Bring a new pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente. If using fresh noodles, boil them for 2-4 minutes, depending on the thickness. If using dried noodles, follow the cooking instructions on the package. 

2. Once the noodles are almost done cooking, add the baby bok choy and blanch for 30 seconds.
3. To make one serving, add a portion of noodles, bok choy, braised beef meat, and 1.25 cups of beef braising broth in a big serving bowl.