How would you like to enjoy the Chinese noodles? I know the stir-fried version is more accepted in the western world. However, the most popular and traditional way to have noodles in China is in a bowl of hot meat broth.

Noodles in meat broth has always been my comfort food. Especially now we are entering into the cold season, I can't think of another better dish than a bowl of noodles in soup to warm me up after a long day.
Thanks to the Asian gene from mama, my son also adores noodles in soup. It has become our agreement to have this dish on the days when he has football training. On the way walking home from the playground, he usually would snack on some crackers and ask me:
"Mama, what would we have for dinner?"
"Noodles in soup." I say.
"YEEEEEEESSSS!!!"
I've shared how to make noodles at home in previous recipe. Today I am closing the circle by sharing the recipe of meat broth. I am using the beef together with a very seasonal and Asian vegetable: daikon. Many people are curious about how to eat this winter radish. I've published a recipe of Chinese dumplings using daikon for the filling. This time I'm putting it in soup to introduce another way to enjoy this great vegetable.
BEEF BROTH 牛肉高汤
Course: SECOND COURSECuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Media4
persons20
minutes2
hoursNoodles in meat broth has always been my comfort food. Especially now we are entering into the cold season, I can't think of another better dish than a bowl of noodles in soup to warm me up after a long day.
INGREDIENTS
Beef shank: 300g
Oxtail: 300g
All purpose flour: a little bit
Daikon: 1
Soy sauce: 3 tbsp
Oyster sauce: 1 tbsp
Sunflower oil: a little bit
Salt: a little bit
Hot water
- Herbs:
Onion: 1
Ginger: 3 slices
Bay leaf: 2
Cinnamon stick: 1
Star anise: 2
Sichuan peppercorn: 1 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Clove: 3
Chen Pi/ Scorza di mandarino (opzionale): 2-3g
Amomum tsaoko (optional): 1
Preparation
- Soak the beef shank and oxtail in water for 2 hours (or overnight) to take out the blood.
- Take the beef shank out from water and cut it into big pieces.
- Put the big pieces in boiling water for 30 seconds then take them out. Leave them aside for later use.
- Wrap a layer of all-purposed flour on the surface of the oxtail.
- Heat up a pot with some sunflower oil at the bottom. Put the oxtail into the pot and pan-fry them on low fire until the surface turns brown.
- Add in the beef shank and stir-fry them with the oxtail for 1 minute.
- Add hot water into the pot up to the level of covering all the meat.
- Remove the extra grease floating on the surface using a tablespoon. Add in soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- Add in all the herbs into the pot. If you have a tea-bag, I highly recommend to put the herbs into the bag. This way it will be easy to take out all the herbs from the soup later.
- Once the water reboil, lower the fire and simmer all ingredients with the lid on for 1 hour and half.
- Peel the daikon and cut it into big pieces. Add them into the soup and keep simmering for another 30 minutes.
- Taste to see if the soup is salty enough. Add in some salt according to your preference.
Video Recipe
The meat broth is perfect to eat with some noodles together. Check my recipe of hand-made noodles.

This is a dish, where you find meat, noodles, vegetables and hot soup together. Every time I have this dish, I feel not only physically warmed up, but also comfort in heart. Give this dish a try. It might become your favorite Chinese dish in winter as well!

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