【Delicacies from Astronauts’ Hometowns】Xiangyang beef offal noodles – they are truly delicious!

Xiangyang beef noodles are a famous dish with world-renowned reputation. They are made from high-quality beef, top-grade flour, and pure herbal ingredients; they have a bright red color, tender meat that is not greasy, and a flavorful broth. Xiangyang beef noodles are divided into two series: beef noodle soup and beef offal noodle soup. Xiangyang has many locally famous beef noodle restaurants! Hot beef served with a delicious broth, hearty alkaline noodles topped with cilantro, scallions, and chili oil… In Xiangyang, one can find beef noodles in everything from five-star hotels to restaurants in the streets and alleys. Beef noodles are not only delicious but also deeply rooted in Xiangyang’s culinary culture.

Xiangyang beef noodles are one of the symbols of Xiangyang. They also represent the longing of many people from Xiangyang who live elsewhere for their hometown. The slightly salty noodles are topped with rich beef tallow, along with beef soaked in the broth – so delicious that it makes one’s mouth water

I. Preparing the alkali-noodle noodles: Put the alkali-noodle noodles into boiling water, cook them until they are half done, then take them out and drain the water. Mix them with an appropriate amount of sesame oil, let them cool, and set aside for use. II. Preparation of beef/beef offal: 1. Brine recipe (using 15 pounds of brine as an example): 20g star anise, 8g licorice, 10g cardamom, 4g cayenne pepper, 1g vanilla, 10g galangal, 10g ginger, 20g Sichuan peppercorns, 8g tsaoko, 4g cumin, 8g amomum villosum, 8g bay leaves, 10g **, 4g xinyi, 20g cinnamon, 10g angelica, 3g cloves, 8g hawthorn, 15g fennel, 250g ginger, and an appropriate amount of chili peppers (15–50g); the spices such as tsaoko should be cut into small pieces, and all these ingredients are placed together in a cloth bag. 2. Preparation of the brine: 1) Add 15 pounds of water, 3 pounds of beef bones, 1 pound of chicken bones, and 2 ounces of aged ginger to a large pot. Add an appropriate amount of soy milk or milk (soy milk helps to make the broth thicker, whiter, and more flavorful). Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 8 hours. 2) Add the spice bag prepared above to the water, simmer over low heat for 3 hours, then season with refined salt, monosodium glutamate, rock sugar, soy sauce, and wine.

3. Ingredients for marinating beef/beef offal: appropriate amounts of beef brisket, beef tendons, tripe, beef stomach, and beef shank. Steps: 1) Blanch the beef ingredients such as brisket, tendon, tripe, beef stomach, and shank to remove excess blood, then cut them into small pieces for use. 2) Add water to the braising pot and insert the seasoning ingredients; bring to a boil, then add the prepared beef offal. Braise until it is 70-80% cooked, then remove it and let it cool before using. 3) After the brine soup cools down, collect the solidified butter on the surface for later use.

4. For preparing the base broth, take one portion of the above-mentioned brine, add 9 portions of water, and then add table salt at a rate of 1.5–2% of the amount of water used; add monosodium glutamate at 0.8%, sugar at 0.8%, beef flavoring powder at 0.5%, and chicken flavoring powder at 0.5%. The levels of saltiness and sweetness can be adjusted according to local tastes, and the amount of chicken or beef flavoring powder should be adjusted accordingly based on the concentration of the powder purchased. Key points: 1. The spices must be fresh ones available in the market – do not buy them from pharmacies. Purchase them from the market. It is necessary to bring the mixture to a boil first, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for a long time to obtain a more flavorful brine. 2. Meat flavoring powder can be added to the brine (at a ratio of 0.5 per thousand) to enhance the aftertaste and texture. 3. The ratio of refined salt to water in the broth should be 35 per thousand, while the ratio of monosodium glutamate to water is 15 per thousand; the ratio of white sugar to water is also 15 per thousand. 4. To give the broth a richer flavor, Guilin tofu paste can be used, as well as oyster sauce, sesame oil, or spices designed to enhance the aroma of hot pot.

I tried it once – it has a rich flavor, plenty of beef offal, and enough noodles; it’s served in a large bowl at a reasonable price

I used to have friends in Xiangyang who invited me to go there, to Shennongjia; I missed that opportunity and it’s a bit disappointing.

It’s not bad; the Han River is vast, there’s the ancient city of Xiangyang, and also the birthplace of Longzhong