Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup

Place the whole beef shank in a stockpot with 1,500 ml water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3–5 minutes, skimming the foam. Lift out the beef and rinse off the scum with warm water. Discard the water and clean the pot.

Bag the star anise, 2 g cassia and ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns in a food-safe spice pouch. Return the beef to the clean pot with 2,000 ml water, the cut scallion, 15 g ginger and the pouch. Bring to a boil and skim, then partly cover and barely simmer for about 2 hours, until a chopstick enters easily but the beef still holds together. If firm, check every 20 minutes. Top up with boiling water as needed to keep it covered.

Lift out the beef, cover and rest for 15–20 minutes until manageable, then slice about 3 mm thick across the grain. Strain out the aromatics and measure 1,000 ml broth back into the pot. Top up with boiling water if short; reserve any excess. While the beef rests, prepare the 200 g daikon, 20 g green garlic and 10 g cilantro.

Add all the daikon to the 1,000 ml strained broth. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until translucent and easily pierced. Stir in 1 tsp fine salt and ¼ tsp white pepper, then cover and keep hot on the lowest heat. Continue cooking if the radish is still firm.

Bring 3,000 ml water to a boil in a separate pot. Add all 300 g fresh noodles and gently separate them. Follow the packet timing, checking from about 2–4 minutes, until the floury center is gone but the strands stay springy. Lift with a strainer and drain well. Discard the noodle water.

Divide the drained noodles between two bowls, each equivalent to 150 g raw noodles. Add 500 ml hot broth and half the daikon to each, then half the sliced beef. Let the beef warm through in the hot broth without breaking the slices.

Divide the 20 g green garlic and 10 g cilantro between the bowls. Drizzle each with 1 tsp chili oil and serve immediately.