Hot and Sour Beef Noodle Soup

Rinse and separate 150 g trimmed enoki into small clusters. Halve 200 g trimmed bok choy lengthwise. Mince 3 garlic cloves and 10 g ginger. Slice 1 spring onion and 1 small red chili, dividing the chili equally into two portions. Gently separate 300 g chilled beef slices and loosen 400 g raw fresh round noodles.

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a stockpot. Add the beef in two batches and gently separate the slices. After the water returns to a boil, cook each batch for about 1–2 minutes until cooked through and piping hot, with no raw centers; a first color change alone is insufficient. Drain with a spider into a clean bowl. Discard the blanching water.

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a two-handled wok over medium-low heat. Add all the garlic and ginger with half the red chili rings. Stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 2 tbsp Hainan yellow chili sauce and stir for about 30 seconds until evenly dispersed. Lower the heat if the aromatics darken.

Pour 1000 ml water into the wok and add 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar. Bring to a boil. Add all the enoki; once boiling resumes, maintain a gentle boil for at least 3 minutes until steaming hot and supple, following longer package instructions. Add all the bok choy and cook about 2 minutes until the stalks are tender and the leaves remain green.

Return all the cooked beef to the broth over medium-low heat for about 30–60 seconds until piping hot again; avoid prolonged cooking. Stir in 2 tbsp white vinegar, taste and add salt as needed. Turn off the heat and cover to keep hot. If too salty, add a little hot water and return to a boil before turning off.

Clean the stockpot and bring plenty of fresh water to a boil. Add all 400 g fresh noodles and loosen them. Follow the package and cook until springy with no hard raw core, usually about 3–5 minutes. Assemble immediately without rinsing or leaving them to stand.

Divide the hot broth, beef, enoki and bok choy evenly between two large bowls. Drain half the cooked noodles and gently tip them into the first bowl, loosening the strands. Repeat with the remaining noodles in the second bowl. Divide all the spring onion and reserved red chili rings between the bowls and serve immediately.