Asian Beef and Noodle Soup

By lorik

Assertive ginger, fish sauce, five-spice powder, and ramen noodles produce a flavor-packed one-dish meal in about 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 4 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, broken into large pieces, seasoning packets discarded
• 1 small flank steak (about 1 pound), cut lengthwise into thirds and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 head medium Napa cabbage, sliced thin crosswise (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

Step 1

1. Bring broth, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and five-spice powder to boil in Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors meld, about 10 minutes.

2. Add noodles to simmering broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in beef and cabbage and simmer until cabbage is wilted and beef is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add cilantro. Serve.

Alternate: Substitute Asian Meatballs for Steak.
1 egg
1/2 cup panko
2 scallions, trimmed and minced
2 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin or dry sherry
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 lb ground pork
2 ice cubes

Combine egg, panko, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer; add pork and ice. Cover bowl of mixer with plastic wrap and beat pork mixture with paddle attachment on medium speed until mixture starts coming together and looks pasty, 1 minute; discard ice cubes. Scoop meatballs with a #30 (2 Tbsp) scoop onto a baking sheet; chill while preparing soup.

Sear meatballs in oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until browned on all sides, 5-6 minutes. Add meatballs to soup before adding cabbage and cilantro. Cook soup with meatballs until meatballs are cooked through.

Meatball recipe courtesy of cuisine at home.