Instant Pot: Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. of bone-in beef shank (or 1 lb. bone-in beef shank, + .5 to 1 lb. beef tendon)
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 3 slices of ginger
• 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 scallions (cut into 2-inch segments)
• 3 dried chilies

For sauce:

• 2 teaspoons Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine

Broth:

• 6 cups water (to make soup broth)
• Spice bag (or tea bag) with below:
• 3 star anise (small)
• 1/4 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorn
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves

Final Assembly

• Wheat noodles
• Bok choy (or spinach)
• Pickled daikon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make sauce of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, spicy bean paste, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
2. Cut the beef shank into one inch cubes.
3. Boil water in a pot. After boiling, add the beef and 1 tsp of Shaoxing wine. Let it come back to boil and boil 1-2 minutes. Strain in a colander and rinse thoroughly in fresh water.
4. In Instant Pot, turn on the sauté setting. Add the oil, sliced ginger, sliced garlic, scallions, and chilies. Stir until flavors release.
5. Add the meat to the pot.
6. Add the sauce (step 1). Stir fry for a few minutes.
7. Pour in 6 cups of water (or about half the pot, covering the ingredients)
8. Put star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon stick, and 2 bay leaves in a spice pouch. Put spice pouch into pot.
9. Close the lid of the pot. Cook 42 minutes in the meat stew setting. Natural release for 25 minutes.
10. If using Le Creuset Dutch oven instead of Instant Pot for a firmer, but still tender, texture, simmer for 2 to 2.5 hrs (#2 on my electric stove).
11. Boil the noodles, and in the last couple of minutes, add the bok choy and blanch until tender.
12. Placed noodles in a bowl, add beef & broth, add veggies, and pickled veggies.
13. This recipe should make three servings (meals) for two people.