Ming's Mom's Noodle Soup with Five Spice Beef Shank: Noodly Goodness for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I ran across beef shanks at the grocery store, and they were on sale too, something I don't find often. I went to Food Network to find a good recipe to use them in and found Ming's Mom's Wonton Noodle Soup with Five Spice Beef Shank. Of course I love my man Ming, and I also think his parents win as the most adorable cooking show family guests, and who doesn't like a big bowl of flavorful noodle soup on a rainy night? This one requires a little more time and effort than some soups but the results are worth it.

The recipe can be found at Food Network here.

Ming's Mom's Noodle Soup with Five Spice Beef Shank
by Ming Tsai (and his Mom), The Food Network
(Serves 4)

2 quarts chicken stock
2 large slices ginger
4 heads baby bok choy, washed and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon naturally brewed soy sauce
salt
1 pound fresh wonton noodles, blanched in salted water right before serving
Five Spice Beef Shank, recipe follows 1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Heat the stock in a stock pot with the ginger and reduce by 20 percent. Add the bok choy, white pepper, and soy sauce. Cook for 3 minutes until bok choy is soft. Check for seasoning. Place the hot noodles in 4 large bowls and top with stock and bok choy. Place sliced beef on top. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, and drizzle with sesame oil.

Five Spice Beef Shank:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed peppers
8 thin slices fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 pounds beef shank
1 cup soy sauce
4 cups red wine
1 tablespoon five spice powder
1 tablespoon salt
3 pieces star anise
dash cinnamon powder
1 large piece rock candy (1-inch cube)

Prepare a large non-stick stock-pot coated with oil over high heat. Add the crushed pepper, ginger, and garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Place the beef in the stock-pot and cook, covered about 4 minutes on each side. Add the soy sauce, red wine, five spice powder, salt, star anise, cinnamon, and rock candy and bring the mixture to a boil for about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat and let simmer for 2 1/2 hours turning the shank every 20 minutes. Remove the shank from the pot and let cool before slicing and adding to the Wonton Noodle Soup.

Notes/Results: Hearty and good--the milder gingery broth is complimented nicely by the slightly sweet, slightly spicy, full of flavor beef shank. I made a few little changes--doubling the ginger and adding garlic to the broth and adding more crushed pepper to the meat. I didn't have rock sugar sitting about so I added some dark brown sugar instead. I wanted to use fresh noodles out of the refrigerated case and my choices were udon, chow fun, and ramen, and it seemed like a ramen kind of night, but you could use any noodle really. I found after 2+ hours of braising the beef, even after sitting a bit, did not slice so much as fall/pull apart but no matter--it tastes delicious. I would make this again.

I am going to send this noodle-filled soup to Ruth's Presto Pasta Nights, being hosted by Kirsten of From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours this week. Check out her blog on Friday for a round up of all kinds of pasta dishes.

It looks like we have a great turnout in the Souper Sunday kitchen, let's take a look.

Nicole from Cocoa and Coriander made a hearty, nourishing Vegetable Soup with Warm Spices, Beans and Quinoa and says, "This soup is lovely. The broth is so flavorful and warming. The vegetables, beans and quinoa are hearty and filling. I don't have much else to say tonight; this is just the perfect soup for a chilly, rainy December day."

Pam from Sidewalk Shoes has a delicious Turkey Soup with Kale to share and says, "I know. I can hear the collective groaning from here. Not another turkey soup. Yes. Another turkey soup. Deal with it. And, for your information, this was yummy. I’ve never done kale with turkey soup before, and it was a great addition to it! It comes from The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution by Alice Waters."

Tigerfish from Teczcape-An Escape to Food has her version of a classic, this Hearty Vegetable Soup (Easy Minestrone). She says, "A vegetable soup that bears a close resemblance to minestrone. I am a fan of minestrone. This soup can be part of a great holiday meal. Traditionally, the Chinese (especially Cantonese) food culture includes one soup-dish as part of the entire meal deal. Why not for a Western-inspired celebration meal?"

Joanne from Eats Well With Others made a man (and woman) pleasing Beef and Beer Chili this week and says, "My roommate and I stood over the pot. Eating it. With a spoon. (Well, two spoons.) It was that good. It is spicy and a touch sweet. Stuffed with beef and beans...the kind of meal that "the guys" will love on poker night. But also one that you and your girlfriend can cuddle up with on a cold winter's night."

Biren, from Roti n Rice came back for her second week at Souper Sundays with this filling Split Pea and Sausage Soup. Biren says, "Spicy, thick, and satisfying, this soup is a meal in itself. I used up the remaining turkey stock I had made after the Thanksgiving dinner but chicken stock will definitely work. For making thick, creamy soups an immersion blender is a very helpful tool. It beats having to tranfer that hot liquid in batches to a blender. If you do not have an immersion blender, now is the time to drop hints for Christmas. :)"

Debby from A Taste for the Eyes made that classic American stew Chicken & Dumplings and says, "...this huge pot of deliciousness was mostly eaten by my boys in two days. I'd say that this recipe was a success, because they asked for more. I wasn't sure what to expect, by the way. Why? Because I've never tasted this classic American dish, let alone made this dish. I happened to catch an episode of America's Test Kitchen and I was impressed with how easy the show made this look to make. To me, this is really like making homemade chicken soup, with dumplings instead of noodles."

Corina from Searching for Spice has this Hot and Sour Mushroom Noodle Soup to share this week and says, "I just love soups at the moment. I could eat them every day. I especially like them for lunches at the weekends if I’m at home. In the evening I feel I should have something more substantial than soup. At lunchtime, soup is perfect. Anyway, this soup is quick and easy. The vegetables are still crunchy. There’s a spicy heat from the chilli and a delicious sourness from the lime."

Heather from girlichef made one of my favorite soups from a favorite cookbook and cook, Mark Bittman's Chickpea Soup with Almonds & Saffron and says, "On a mission for a quick, easy soup, I scour the pantry, the fridge, and Bitty's Kitchen Express searching for a final destination. I found it in the unlikely combination of almonds, chickpeas, and saffron. Okay, maybe not so unlikely...just surprising in a quickie soup, I suppose. To me. And yeah, although it was surprising, it totally worked."



Debbi from Debbi Does Dinner... Healthy & Low Calorie made a Butternut Squash Soup with Apple & Beans and says, "This soup rocked my world. I just bought some more white beans so I can make it again. It is so healthy and super filling that I could eat it all the time. It got better and better as it sat in the frig too. Don't you love that about soup? We ate this with an awesome grilled cheese & apple sandwich. Not that it needed anything else, I would have been fine with just eating this!"

Janet from The Taste Space made a Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup and says, "Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Eat Well Cookbook, this is a hearty and creamy wild mushroom soup (sans creme) with barley and thyme. Something great to warm up with this winter. It is for serious mushroom lovers, with both dried shiitake and fresh cremini mushrooms. Tomato paste adds a deeper body to the soup, and the sherry adds a special flavour."

It's strawberry season in India for lucky Megha at Live to eat!!! and she is making the most of it with this colorful Spinach, Strawberry & Ricotta Cheese Salad. Megha says, "This salad is the easiest salad that I've ever tried and it's not only tasty but also gorgeous looking too. It's a great combination and the flavours blend in perfectly. A must try this strawberry season!"

A big Souper Sundays welcome to Nayna at simply.food, joining us from the U.K. and making her first appearance this week with this Barbecued Corn Salad. Nayna says, "Barbecued Corn salad is a tasty fast and easy salad that is delicious as a starter or side dish.Crunchy barbecued corn served with sweet mango, cucumber and carrots."

Swathi from Zesty South Indian Kitchen is here this week with a Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad/Gỏi đu đủ. Swathi says, "It turned out be great. My little one and her father was enjoying them very much, she even started picking with her cute little hand and eating. I haven’t imagined green papaya salad has this much fan base in my house. They are going to be around for long time. I made only one serving. Next time I am going to increase the quantity. The dish is perfect combo of sour-spice-salt –sweetness it has crunchiness from papaya and peanuts."

Joanna from Go Ahead and Snicker made a Salad with Oven Fried Garlic and Onion Chicken Fingers, served with Giada's Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce made into a dressing. She says, "Serve with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce for kiddos, or as a salad for grown ups. Mine is just mixed greens, tomato, red onion, blue cheese and dried cranberries. Nothing special, but it sure is good!"

Kim from Stirring the Pot is here with both a salad and a sandwich this week. About her Mexican Tortilla Salad with Cotija Cheese and Cilantro-Pepita Dressing, she says, "My Mom and I loved this salad with it's creamy and colorful dressing, chunks of Cotija cheese, and crunchy strips of tortilla strips and pepitas. This salad would be equally delicious as a main dish with added vegetables, sliced chicken or maybe even shrimp. This is one of those salad recipes that people will remember, crave, and ask for again."

Kim's sandwich is Giada's Mozzarella, Strawberry, and Brown Sugar Panini, and Kim says, "All of the components actually come together really nicely in this sandwich. The mozzarella was buttery and creamy, the strawberry jam is nice and sweet, and the brown sugar crusted bread.....whoa mama! That crispy, crunchy, sugary, caramelized bread was some good stuff, the hit of the sandwich if you ask me. This is one of those recipes that stays on your mind and keeps you thinking, which is good for the mind, if you ask me!"



Wonderful soups, terrific salads and one unique salad this week--thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you want to share, just click on the Souper Sunday logo on my side bar for all of the details.

******Little Reminders: Great Giveaway & Iron Foodie 2010 Votes*******

Today is the last day to enter my Tate's Bake Shop Giveaway to win a copy of the "Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook" and an assortment of 3 of their most popular cookies--Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, and White Chocolate Macadamia. Find the entry details here and enter by midnight tonight in order to win!

And of course, if you haven't yet voted for a Marx Foods/Foodie BlogRoll Iron Foodie 2010 entry, I would really appreciate it if you would go to the poll at Marx Foods here and give my Two Pepper Seared Ahi with Avocado-Dulse Yogurt Sauce, Porcini-Dulse Brown Rice & Smoky Lotus Chips a vote. It's really easy to do, no registration or anything--just a simple click next to Kahakai Kitchen. Mahalo for your support!

Have a great week!