Cinnamon Beef Noodle Soup

Packaged stewing beef is often made up of irregularly shaped pieces from different cuts, so I cut my own stew meat using a boneless chuck roast or two 3/4-inch-thick chuck steaks.

• 1 tsp. peanut or vegetable oil   
• 3 cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches each)
• 6 scallions, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed  
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 1-1/2 tsp. anise seeds
• 1-1/2 tsp. Asian chile paste
• 7 cups water
• 4 cups homemade or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2-1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 9 oz. fresh udon noodles (or 6 oz. dried)
• 1- to 1-1/2-lb. bunch bok choy, bottom trimmed, stalks washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When very hot, add the cinnamon, scallions, garlic, ginger, anise seeds, and chile paste; cook, stirring, for 1-min. Add the water, broth, soy sauce, and vinegar; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the meat and bring to a vigorous simmer. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, until the meat is very tender, about 1-1/2 hours, checking to be sure that the soup doesn’t boil or stop simmering.

Shortly before the soup is done, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.

When the meat is tender, remove the cinnamon sticks. Add the bok choy to the soup and simmer until the stalks are crisp tender and the greens are very tender, 5 to 10 min. Stir in the noodles and let them warm through. Serve immediately, garnished with the cilantro leaves.

Udon with Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables

These wheat-based Japanese noodles are available both dried (used in this recipe) and fresh. Dried udon are flatter than their fresh counterparts and closer in texture to linguine.

• Kosher salt
• 3/4 lb. dried udon noodles
• 3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 2 Tbs. canola oil
• 3/4 lb. bok choy, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces (4 cups)
• 3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (1-1/2 cups)
• 1/2 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 3 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish

Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.


In a medium bowl, mix the chicken broth, oyster sauce, vinegar, and 2 tsp. of the sesame oil.


Heat the ginger and canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the ginger sizzles steadily for about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp. sesame oil and 3/4 tsp. salt and cook, tossing after 1 minute, until the bok choy turns dark green and begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth mixture, tofu, and carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are soft and the tofu is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.


Distribute the noodles among 4 bowls. Spoon the vegetables, tofu, and broth over the noodles. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemongrass

In this cross between Vietnamese pho and Japanese udon noodle soup, fresh udon noodles are the star. Fat and bouncy in texture, they cook faster and tend to be more delicate than dried udon.

• 2-1/2 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 lb.), butterflied (cut horizontally almost all the way through and then opened like a book)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium shallots (about 4 oz.), peeled and thinly sliced into rings
• 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise, and smashed with the side of a chef’s knife
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
• 5-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (1-1/2 cups)
• 9 oz. fresh udon noodles
• 1 Thai bird chile (or 1 small serrano pepper), sliced into thin rings
• 8 large fresh torn basil leaves; plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 medium lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce; more to taste
• 2 medium scallions, trimmed and sliced, for garnish (optional)
• 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks, for garnish (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Tip:

This soup is also a great destination for shredded, leftover roast chicken in place of the chicken breast. Just add it to the soup along with the chiles, basil, lime juice, and soy sauce.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, and cook without disturbing until it’s browned and releases easily from the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is browned and almost firm to the touch (just short of cooked through), 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool.


Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the shallots to the pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the shallots start soften, about 2 minutes. Add the lemongrass, ginger, and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the ginger and lemongrass sizzle and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and raise the heat to medium high. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.


Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the noodles, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.


Use your fingers or the tines of a fork to shred the chicken. Add the chicken and noodles to the broth and cook until the noodles are completely tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemongrass. Stir in the chiles, torn basil, lime juice, and soy sauce; season with more soy to taste. Divide the noodles among 4 large, deep bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles, and garnish with the basil sprigs and scallions, carrot, and cilantro, if using. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemongrass

In this cross between Vietnamese pho and Japanese udon noodle soup, fresh udon noodles are the star. Fat and bouncy in texture, they cook faster and tend to be more delicate than dried udon.

• 2-1/2 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 lb.), butterflied (cut horizontally almost all the way through and then opened like a book)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium shallots (about 4 oz.), peeled and thinly sliced into rings
• 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise, and smashed with the side of a chef’s knife
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
• 5-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (1-1/2 cups)
• 9 oz. fresh udon noodles
• 1 Thai bird chile (or 1 small serrano pepper), sliced into thin rings
• 8 large fresh torn basil leaves; plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 medium lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce; more to taste
• 2 medium scallions, trimmed and sliced, for garnish (optional)
• 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks, for garnish (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Tip:

This soup is also a great destination for shredded, leftover roast chicken in place of the chicken breast. Just add it to the soup along with the chiles, basil, lime juice, and soy sauce.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, and cook without disturbing until it’s browned and releases easily from the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is browned and almost firm to the touch (just short of cooked through), 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool.


Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the shallots to the pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the shallots start soften, about 2 minutes. Add the lemongrass, ginger, and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the ginger and lemongrass sizzle and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and raise the heat to medium high. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.


Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the noodles, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.


Use your fingers or the tines of a fork to shred the chicken. Add the chicken and noodles to the broth and cook until the noodles are completely tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemongrass. Stir in the chiles, torn basil, lime juice, and soy sauce; season with more soy to taste. Divide the noodles among 4 large, deep bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles, and garnish with the basil sprigs and scallions, carrot, and cilantro, if using. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.