Red beech mushroomsUse about one-third of the pack, diced~150 gest.
White beech mushroomsDiced to the same size as the red beech mushrooms~150 gest.
Green onionFinely chopped2
CilantroChopped finely, similar size to the green onion~¼ cupsest.
Century eggFinely minced; used to replace MSG for umami and natural sweetness1
Fried dough stick (youtiao)Cut lengthwise into two strips, then sliced into 1-1.5cm pieces~1est.
Thinly sliced beef short ribLaid whole over the fried dough stick pieces, cut in half down the middle~150 gest.
Fish saucePoured entirely into the soup pot for flavor~2 tspest.
SaltAdd to taste for saltiness~½ tspest.
White pepper powder~¼ tspest.
Sesame oilA couple drops added at the end for fragrance2 drops
WaterUsed as the soup base, brought to a boil and poured over the bowl ingredients~4 cupsest.
Steps
1
Unpack the red beech mushrooms, take about one-third of them, trim off the stems, dice into 0.5-1cm pieces, and pull apart.
2
Add the diced red mushrooms into a pot of water to infuse the broth with mushroom flavor instead of using plain water.
3
Dice the white beech mushrooms to the same size and add them into the same pot.
4
Finely chop the green onions and cilantro into similarly sized pieces, and set aside.
5
Mince the century egg finely (cut into strips first, then crosswise) and place it in the center of a large bowl; it will replace MSG for a savory-sweet flavor.
6
Cut the fried dough stick lengthwise into two strips, then slice into 1-1.5cm pieces, and layer them over the minced century egg.
7
Take the whole slice of beef short rib, cut it in half, and lay the pieces evenly over the fried dough stick pieces, avoiding overlap so the meat rests on the dough sticks rather than directly on the cold bowl, ensuring even cooking when hot broth is poured in.
8
Sprinkle the chopped green onion and cilantro evenly over the beef.
9
Pour fish sauce into the boiling mushroom broth, taste, then adjust with salt and white pepper to your preference.
10
Once the broth reaches a rolling boil, pour it directly over the bowl with the century egg, fried dough stick, beef, and herbs, stirring gently with chopsticks so the beef cooks evenly.
11
Finish with about two drops of sesame oil for aroma, and the beef and century egg soup is ready to serve.
PrimedTableBETA
