Singaporean-Malaysian🥣 Soups & stews

Traditional Beef Bone Soup with Homemade Spice Paste

Name: Traditional Beef Bone Soup with Homemade Spice Paste
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Singaporean-Malaysian
Ingredients: 1½ kg beef bones; 300 g beef brisket; 2 marrow bone (optional); 2-3 liters water; ~1 bunch Chinese celery; ~2-3 stalks green onion / scallion; 2 soup spice packet; 4 celery stalks; to taste salt; to taste seasoning powder; ½ tbsp white pepper powder; 5 garlic cloves; 5 shallots (small); 2 inches ginger; 3-4 candlenuts; 2 tbsp coriander powder; 1 tbsp fennel powder; ½ tbsp cumin powder; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; 5 garlic cloves (for sautéing); 5 shallots (small, for sautéing); 1 inch ginger (for sautéing); 1 pandan leaf; a little cooking oil

⏱ 90 min

A rich and silky beef bone soup infused with homemade spice paste, simmered slowly until the beef and bones become melt-in-mouth tender. Hours of gentle cooking allow the stock to absorb deep collagen from the bones, creating a thick, satisfying broth. The sautéed aromatics—garlic, shallots, and ginger—add layers of fragrance and flavor. A beloved Singaporean home-style dish traditionally served with steamed rice and tamarind-based sambal.

High-protein

Adapted from a video by Che Nom

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Ingredients

beef bones1½ kg
beef brisket300 g
marrow bone (optional)2
water2-3 liters
Chinese celery~1 bunchest.
green onion / scallion~2-3 stalksest.
soup spice packet2
celery stalks4
salt

Steps

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1
Rinse the beef bones, beef brisket, and marrow bones thoroughly, then drain well.
2
Make the spice paste: Roughly chop garlic, shallots, ginger, and candlenuts. Blend them with black peppercorns and a splash of water until smooth. Stir in coriander powder, fennel powder, and cumin powder until you have a thick paste.
3
Prepare the vegetables: chop Chinese celery and green onion, keeping leaves and stems separate. Set aside the celery stalks.
4
Fill a large stockpot with 2–3 liters of water and bring to a boil. Add the beef bones, beef brisket, and marrow bones.
5
Once the water comes to a rolling boil, skim off any scum and impurities that float to the surface to clarify the broth.
6
Stir in the spice paste, loosening it with a little water. Add the Chinese celery stems, green onion pieces, and soup spice packets.
7
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour or longer, until the beef and bones are very tender. Test by piercing the meat with a fork; it should break apart easily and separate from the bone.
8
Taste and season with salt and seasoning powder as needed. Avoid adding too much salt early on, as it can make the meat tough.
9
Prepare the sautéed aromatics: thinly slice 5 garlic cloves, 5 small shallots, and 1 inch of ginger, then mince them fine.
10
Heat a little oil in a wok or pan. Stir-fry the minced garlic, shallots, and ginger along with a pandan leaf until golden and fragrant. Pour this sautéed mixture, along with its oil, into the simmering soup.
11
Cover the pot and let the sautéed aromatics infuse into the broth. If desired, add a pinch of white pepper powder for extra kick.
12
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh Chinese celery, green onion, a squeeze of lime, and crispy fried shallots if desired. Serve hot with steamed white rice and tamarind-based sambal on the side.

Traditional Beef Bone Soup with Homemade Spice Paste

Ingredients

Steps

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