Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup

Method

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1. Cover the beef and bones with cold water, bring to the boil, boil 5 minutes, then drain and rinse everything including the pan.

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2. Tie the star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cumin, cloves, bay and Sichuan peppercorns in a muslin bag.

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3. Return the meat and bones to the clean pan with the 3 litres of cold water, the ginger, halved spring onions and spice bag.

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4. Bring to a bare simmer and hold it there for 90 minutes. Never let it boil.

   Mark done Start 90 min timer

5. Skim whatever rises in the first 15 minutes.

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6. Add the radish and the salt and simmer 40 minutes more.

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7. Lift the beef out, cool slightly and slice it thinly across the grain.

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8. Strain the broth through a fine sieve without pressing the solids.

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9. Boil the noodles as the packet directs and divide between bowls.

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10. Ladle the clear broth over, add the sliced beef and radish, and top with chilli oil, coriander and spring onion.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Blanch and discard the first water.
• A bare simmer, never a boil — clarity is the point.
• Radish in for the last forty minutes only.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chilli in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Chilli oil
• Pickled garlic
• Cold Chinese tea

Storage & Reheating

The broth keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.