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Beef noodle soup

This is the recipe that started it all.

In this cold weather, I find so much comfort in cooking this delicious and addictive bowl of beef noodle soup. There are so many different cultures that make this dish in so many varied ways, but what I love about it is just that no matter how you make it, it is a dish full of effort, time, and love! In that way, I strive to approach life in the same way that I make this soup.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds of beef shank
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced or diced
  • 2 tomatoes, eighth-ed
  • 1 head of garlic, smashed
  • 1 full piece of ginger, sliced into very thin slices
  • 6 star anises
  • 6 dried chili peppers
  • 6 stalks of green onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons of spicy doubanjan
  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or rock sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons of oil for cooking
  • 2/3 cups of dark soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup of light soy sauce
  • 2/3 cups of rice wine
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons of black pepper
  • Noodles (go with the any kind that you really like)
  • 6 stalks of bok choy, washed and boiled
  • Green onions for garnish

Tips:

  • If you and your family don’t like things spicy, you can substitute the spicy doubanjan with regular doubanjan.
  • Peeling the tomato beforehand will make your soup peel-free. Gives this dish a nice touch!
  • This dish is not a quick one and best done over the course of one whole day in a therapeutic fashion. 🙂

How to serve:

  • You’ll put the noodles in a bowl with the boiled bok choy and then pour the beef soup with pieces of beef into the soup.

Directions:

  • Put the shanks, 2 stalks of chopped green onions, 2 star anises, and the beef shanks in a large pot of water and bring to boil. Cook for 7 minutes.
  • Put the shanks into an ice water bath and then take them out. Slice them into slightly less than 1-inch thick pieces and set them aside.
  • Chop the onions, tomato and place them into separate bowls.
  • Chop the garlic, ginger and the rest of the green onions and put them into a bowl with the rest of the star anises, dried chili peppers.
  • Heat the pan up with oil and put in the doubanjang; stir fry until fragrant.
  • Put in the contents of the bowl; stir fry for a 3-4 minutes on medium/low heat.
  • Add the onions and stirfry for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Place the beef into the pan and put in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, along with the rice wine and the sugar; stir fry for 3-4 minutes on medium/low heat.
  • Add tomatoes and cook for 7 minutes on medium/low heat.
  • Prepare a large pot and pour the contents into it, then pour enough water into the pot so that the water is about 2 inches above all of the contents.
  • Cook forever (just kidding, minimum 2 hours, but 4-5 is better)
  • While cooking, make sure to maintain a slow simmer.
  • When it’s time to serve, prepare the noodles and the bok choy and put them into the bowls.
  • Carefully use tongs to put two pieces of beef shank in each bowl and then pour the soup into each bowl.
  • Chop up some green onions diagonally and garnish each bowl.
  • Ready to serve.

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Oven-fried chicken

At some point in my life, I might get myself an air fryer, but until then, it’s the oven for me! This recipe has all of the flavor of actual fried chicken without the fuss and the oil. Whoever invented the idea of oven-frying anything is a genius.

Ingredients:

  • 6-7 pieces of mixed chicken drumsticks and thighs (skin on)
  • 2 tablespoons of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs
  • 3 eggs
  • Butter (optional)

Tips:

  • A meat thermometer can come in very handy when you’re trying to see if the chicken is fully cooked.
  • You’ll need a cookie sheet and a baking rack.

How to serve:

  • I like to serve this with Zoodles, rice, and scrambled eggs from the left over eggs.
  • You can also serve it with the traditional mashed potatoes and coleslaw.

Directions:

  • Place the chicken, 1 tbsp of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and 1/2 tbsp of chili powder in a bowl and mix well.
  • Marinate overnight.
  • Prepare a shallow bowl and put the flour in with the rest of the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder.
  • In another, beat the three eggs.
  • In another bowl, pour in the Panko and Italian breadcrumbs.
  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  • Working piece by piece, dredge the chicken in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Press down in the breadcrumbs mixture to ensure that the piece is thoroughly covered.
  • Place the pieces on the cooling rack, which should be laid on top of the cookie sheet.
  • Cut off little pieces of butter and place them on top of each piece.
  • Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
  • Test the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure it’s at least 165 degrees.
  • Cool the chicken for 5-7 minutes.
  • Ready to serve.

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Kalbi (Korean short ribs)

Who doesn’t love grilled Kalbi?

I do these ribs slightly differently than the traditional Korean way. There isn’t any fruit marinating involved and I try to make it less sweet than normal. For a dinner party, I’d splurge and get the slightly more expensive/better quality meat; you want it really marbled!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of Korean short ribs
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 1 big apple, grated
  • 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons or rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon of corn flour
  • 1 tablespoon of oil for cooking

Tips:

  • Don’t skimp on the marinating time.
  • You’ll need to grill or fry on the pan in batches.

How to serve:

  • With rice or ban-chan.

Directions:

  • Cut each Kalbi strip into three pieces (1 bone per piece) and place it into a large bowl.
  • Season with: salt, grated apple, soy sauce, and corn flour and 2 tbsp of rice wine in that order.
  • Make sure to distribute all of the ingredients evenly on each piece of meat by mixing it very very thoroughly.
  • Cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
  • In a frying pan or cast iron, heat up oil.
  • Place the Kalbi into the pan to grill.
  • Grill until both sides are a golden darkish brown; work in batches.
  • Ready to serve.