Entree: China – Henan – 烩面 ➤ Huì miàn (Thick wheat noodles braised in a savory meat-and-broth stew with vegetables)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr

Total 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) thick hand-pulled or knife-cut wheat noodles (fresh or refrigerated)
- 12 oz (340 g) beef shank or stewing beef, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, julienned
- 6 cups (1.4 L) beef broth or unsalted stock
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 4 oz (115 g) napa cabbage, sliced into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
- 4 oz (115 g) bok choy or Chinese greens, trimmed and halved if large
- 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, sliced thin (about 1.5 oz / 45 g)
- 1 tsp (5 g) cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water (slurry) for slight thickening
- 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- Salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, 4–6 minutes; remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add onion and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Return beef to the pot and pour in beef broth, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise gently 45–60 minutes until beef is tender.
4. While the beef braises, blanch the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water until just tender according to package or homemade thickness (usually 2–4 minutes for fresh thick noodles). Drain and toss lightly with a few drops of oil to prevent sticking; set aside.
5. When beef is tender, add napa cabbage, bok choy, and the white parts of the scallions to the braising broth and simmer 3–5 minutes until wilted and heated through.
6. Stir cornstarch slurry into the broth a little at a time, simmering until broth thickens slightly to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Add noodles to the pot and toss gently to combine and heat through, or serve noodles in bowls and ladle the braised beef and broth over them. Finish with sliced green scallions, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper.