Authentic Chinese Beef Noodle Soup Recipe: Grandma’s Kitchen

Now that I live off-campus, I’ve realized how much I crave home cooking. I didn’t miss it while living off of dining hall food, but that’s probably because they distracted me with differently disguised fat.

While I’m trying to eat a balanced, temporarily-omnivorous diet (earlier this week I realized that I haven’t been eating enough protein), I try to find recipes that are more protein-based rather than carb-based. The good thing about this recipe is that it can be tweaked to reflect either!

Thankfully, my grandma’s taught me the Authentic Chinese Beef Noodle Soup recipe! And because I’m such a savvy cook (ha. ha.) I can cook this for myself anytime! I usually try not to eat red meat though, so maybe not.

(c) Chinese Grandma  Careful now, CG, there's a new grandma on the block.
(c) Chinese Grandma
Careful now, CG, there’s a new grandma on the block.

Chinese Beef Noodle Soup has always been a favorite dish of mine. Usually, Asian dishes are meant for everyone, to be shared and paired with a bowl of rice. However, when you ordered a bowl of Chinese Beef Noodle Soup, people knew you were serious about gettin’ your grub on. How could I have packed on the fat if not for this?

It’s simple and easily replicated so that you don’t have to go to a Chinese restaurant to get your Beef Noodle Soup fix! The next time you go to a Chinese restaurant, you can focus your taste buds on trying new dishes!

THE RECIPE 

Serving size: 4-5

Ingredients: 

ingredients: before
ingredients: before
  • Beef Shank [2 lb, chopped into pieces, usually large bite sizes. Remember: the smaller the piece, the quicker it cooks!]
  • Green Onion/Scallion [1 bunch, ends trimmed, chopped in half]
  • Garlic [1 whole bulb, peeled. You can choose to chop in large chunks]
  • Soy Bean Paste [1.5 tbsp]
  • Star anise [8 pieces] (optional)
  • Soy Sauce
  • Salt
  • Ginger [peeled, sliced 1/2 stem]
  • Sugar
  • Bacardi [2 ladles] (grandma’s special kick)

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Healthy: 

  • bunch of spinach

Directions: 

  1. Cover the bottom of the pot with vegetable oil and place garlic, ginger, and green onion in to sauté until the garlic is browned. Add the soy bean paste and stir, making sure it is evenly distributed.
    Grandma: “Browning the garlic makes the flavor come out. Smells good, right?”
    IMG_1181
  2. IMG_1170
  3. Add the beef shank pieces and stir, adding the 2 ladles of Bacardi in while doing so.
    IMG_1185
  4. As the beef is browning on the outside, first add 2-3 ladles of soy sauce. Then 2 tbsp of sugar.
    Grandma: “Taste it to see if you like it!”
    Me: But… the beef isn’t fully cooked ye—ok.
    IMG_1186
  5. Add 4 cups of water, or however much gives you the ratio of meat to soup that you like. Add a few more ladles of soy sauce, to taste. If still not to taste, or, if you’re a poor college student like me, add some salt because that soy sauce ain’t cheap. And we don’t use it often enough to get the huge Chinese family economy size.
    IMG_1187

For the rest of the recipe, click [HERE]

MY NEW BLOG IS HERE: [CLICK] 

 

Induction into the Obese People of America Association

I received this letter in the mail today:

Dear Michelle,

The Obese People of America Association, OPAA, is delighted to welcome you as a new member of the organization! We’ve noticed that you’ve been on and off about qualifying as a member in the last few years and we’re here to tell you that your effort has paid off. Although there have been many contenders this year, we’ve decided that you fit the bill to a tee.

Our association is composed of members who are falling apart at an inappropriate age due to various illnesses such as diabetes, bad joints, arthritis, heart disease, and many more. Your application immediately caught our attention as you are careening gleefully towards almost all of these illnesses with no signs of stopping or regressing. It is your characteristics that we look for in members and we know that you will bring more pride to our organization.

As a member, you are being informed that in order to remain a member, you must not change your current lifestyle habits unless the change is beneficial to our cause. You will be notified two weeks before you are nearing expulsion, which is plenty of time to get back on track. We only want what is best for you.

Attached with this letter is a seatbelt extension and stretchy pants, which you will be required to bring everywhere with you.

Please attend the formal induction June 22nd, 2012 at the nearest McDonalds. From there, we will host a progressive dinner celebrating you as a new member.

Welcome to the association!

Sincerely,

The Obese People of America Association

Moments of Panic

welp, I think I’ve had my second panic attack at the most inconvenient time ever. It’s only been recently where I’ve been having this attacks and at first I really didn’t know what was happening to me.

The first time I got blindsided by it while studying in the library. All of a sudden I had a feeling of impending death–I felt like I was going to die within the next half hour. My vision blurred, my heart felt like a ticking time bomb, and I’m relatively sure I burst into a cold sweat–but I was on nervous system overload so I really can’t say for sure. It lasted for about 20 minutes and when it ended, I lay on the hard back of the chair, winded. All motivation gone.

I don’t want to make excuses for myself, especially when I’m unsure if they’re actual excuses or not, but I’m pretty sure that’s why I was so unsuccessful second semester of last year.

This time, it was during the first exam of the year. I sat down, willing myself to calm down–I’d studied, I felt fairly confident, and afterwards, I was going to reward myself with Panera and the first real sleep I would’ve had in 2 days. When my fingers touched the exam however, it was like my entire body rebelled against the idea, like it was allergic to exams. There was buzzing in my head. Halfway through the exam, I noticed that my entire arm had cramped up–I had been gripping my pen with a death-grip and my fingers were also numb. I couldn’t breathe, a vice was squeezing my diaphragm so hard.

After about an hour of this torture, I finished the exam and walked down the stairs (of course I chose to sit at the very top) to hand it in. As I walked up, I became aware of how tired I was, how shaky my entire body was and how close I was to either puking or passing out–or both. I made my way to the bathroom where I spent the next 10 minutes just breathing.

And then, I rewarded myself with Panera…

which was the biggest disappointment of my life. Panera, you have been letting me down lately! As I eagerly tore into the paper bag when I got home, to my horror, the asshole filling up my full-sized salad gave me maybe half a box of lettuce. Really?? I really paid $8 for this? You really think people can exist on such rabbit food?? Yes, I ordered a salad, but I didn’t ask for you to starve me. Good thing I ordered an extra baguette or… wait a minute, this is just a longer version of your usual baguette! Maybe 2 inches longer. You should be thankful I haven’t had much of an appetite lately or you would no longer have a face.

I sent them an angry email and they have yet to get back to me.

We will see though, we will see.

Last of the Summer Days

A friend and I got together today for some good old chowdown and a last hanging out before I leave. We spent an entire day eating and watching Supernatural. We fight over Dean ;) I’m a sucker for the tough guy act.

Her mom embraced my vegetarianism. I feel kinda bad because I ate her out of house and home so much.

I made the ones with two onions on a skewer :) I love my red onions. The sautee was really good. I need to get her recipe!

Her mom made buttered corn on the cobs. First time I had these! I usually have them steamed, not grilled or buttered. It accented the sweetness of the corn.

We both kept going back for the skewers and had two cobs each. Needless to say… I think we ate an entire harvest today! And this was only a bit after lunch! Around dinner, she made some stuffed shells. Unphotographed :(

It was a perfect ending to an amazing summer :) I’m so thankful my friend and I really got closer this summer.

Oh god, wake me up when I can move again.

How do you like to spend your last days of summer?