Beef ramen
I encourage everyone to try making noodles from scratch for the soup. Of course, you can buy ready-made noodles to add to the soup, but if you have time, it's fun to try this.
Noodles:
300 g strong flour (bread flour)
150 g water
1/2 tsp salt
Mix together in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 10-15 minutes. Do not add more water, even if the dough seems dry at first—it will improve as it is kneaded.
Let the dough rest for 90 minutes before working with it.
It's best to roll the dough out very thinly with a rolling pin until it’s about 2 mm thick. Make sure to sprinkle plenty of flour on top of the dough, fold it into quarters, and then cut thinly so you get thin but long strips.
Boil immediately for 1-3 minutes, drain the water, and add them to the soup.
Note: The noodles are boiled in a separate pot and added to the soup just before serving.
Soup:
4 liters water
1 kg beef stew meat
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
5 star anise
3 bay leaves
1 whole garlic, peeled, cloves left whole
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 tbsp Shaoxing Chinese wine (or use Mirin or sherry)
3 tbsp gochujang chili soybean paste
1 tomato
1 cm ginger, sliced
3 spring onions, cut in half
3 beef stock cubes
120 ml light soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
Boil the beef in water for 10 minutes, skim off the foam, and set the meat aside. Save the broth and strain it through a sieve when adding it to the soup.
Start by heating oil in another large pot along with the Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Once the garlic begins to soften, add the gochujang paste, wine, and tomato.
Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add soy sauce and sugar along with the beef, broth, ginger, and spring onions.
Simmer the soup for 90 minutes in a pot or for 4-6 hours on high in a slow cooker if you have one.