Sooz's Famous Cinnamon Beef Noodle Soup: The Recipe
By popular demand, I managed to secure a copy of the recipe from tomte as well as her permission to post it.
Here's a copy of the email she sent me:
"I’ve altered the original recipe a little because I like a more gingery broth; the original just said to cut slices of ginger and smash them with the flat of a knife, and fish them out along with the cinnamon sticks. I mince mine and leave it in.
CINNAMON BEEF NOODLES
1 teaspoon safflower or corn oil (I usually use peanut oil; it needs to be an oil that can handle high heat without freaking out)
Chile Cinnamon Seasonings:
6 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1 ½” sections
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or you can press them)
4 slices fresh root ginger, peeled and minced
1 ½ t. hot chile paste (start with this amount and adjust if desired)
2 cinnamon sticks
1-2 stars anise
8 ½ cups water
½ cup soy sauce
2 lb. beef chuck or stew meat, fat trimmed, cut into 1 ½” cubes
10 oz. spinach, trimmed, rinsed and drained (I usually choose the easy method and buy prepared spinach for salad)
½ lb. flat Chinese wheat flour noodles, cooked and drained (use a fairly hefty noodle for this dish)
3 T. minced green onions or chives for garnish
Prep the Chile Cinnamon Seasonings and put them into a bowl. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Slap in the entire contents of the Chile Cinnamon Seasonings bowl and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Depending on how much chile paste you added, this process may make you cough and open the windows for ventilation. EET EES STRONG LIKE BOOL! Add the water and soy sauce and bring to a boil, then add the beef and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Fish out the anise and cinnamon sticks and discard, and skim the broth to remove impurities and/or fat.
When ready to serve, bring back to a boil. Add the spinach and cook just until it is wilted. Place cooked noodles into serving bowls and ladle the soup over them, or get totally lazy and just tip the noodles directly into the soup to serve. Makes 6 generous servings.
The flavor improves the next day, although the spinach doesn’t look as pretty."
Here's a copy of the email she sent me:
"I’ve altered the original recipe a little because I like a more gingery broth; the original just said to cut slices of ginger and smash them with the flat of a knife, and fish them out along with the cinnamon sticks. I mince mine and leave it in.
CINNAMON BEEF NOODLES
1 teaspoon safflower or corn oil (I usually use peanut oil; it needs to be an oil that can handle high heat without freaking out)
Chile Cinnamon Seasonings:
6 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1 ½” sections
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or you can press them)
4 slices fresh root ginger, peeled and minced
1 ½ t. hot chile paste (start with this amount and adjust if desired)
2 cinnamon sticks
1-2 stars anise
8 ½ cups water
½ cup soy sauce
2 lb. beef chuck or stew meat, fat trimmed, cut into 1 ½” cubes
10 oz. spinach, trimmed, rinsed and drained (I usually choose the easy method and buy prepared spinach for salad)
½ lb. flat Chinese wheat flour noodles, cooked and drained (use a fairly hefty noodle for this dish)
3 T. minced green onions or chives for garnish
Prep the Chile Cinnamon Seasonings and put them into a bowl. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Slap in the entire contents of the Chile Cinnamon Seasonings bowl and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Depending on how much chile paste you added, this process may make you cough and open the windows for ventilation. EET EES STRONG LIKE BOOL! Add the water and soy sauce and bring to a boil, then add the beef and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Fish out the anise and cinnamon sticks and discard, and skim the broth to remove impurities and/or fat.
When ready to serve, bring back to a boil. Add the spinach and cook just until it is wilted. Place cooked noodles into serving bowls and ladle the soup over them, or get totally lazy and just tip the noodles directly into the soup to serve. Makes 6 generous servings.
The flavor improves the next day, although the spinach doesn’t look as pretty."