Tainan Beef Soup (台南牛肉湯 (Tâi-lâm gû-bah-thng))
Overview
Tainan beef soup is a breakfast speciality of the city of Tainan in southern Taiwan. Very thin slices of raw, freshly slaughtered local beef are laid in a bowl with fine shreds of ginger, and a ladle of boiling clear broth, made by simmering beef bones, vegetables and sometimes a little rice wine through the night, is poured over them at the table. The heat cooks the beef in seconds so that it stays pink and tender. It is eaten with a dip of soy paste and ginger, and many people order a bowl of rice with minced meat on the side.
History
Tainan has many cattle farms nearby, and local beef is slaughtered at night and delivered to the soup stalls before dawn, so it can be served within hours without ever being frozen. The tradition of eating beef soup for breakfast is unique to Tainan, and queues form at famous stalls early in the morning. It has become one of the best-known foods of the city and a must-try for visitors.
Main ingredients
Raw beef slices, beef bone broth, ginger, rice wine, spring onion, soy sauce. The soup is built on clear beef bone broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Explore: Beef soups · Rice soups · More soups from Taiwan
Recipe
Method
- 1≥ 6 h
Blanch the bones, rinse, and simmer with the onion, daikon and carrots in 4 l water for at least 6 hours, skimming.
- 2
Strain the broth and season with salt and rice wine, keeping it at a rolling boil.
- 3
Arrange the raw beef slices and ginger in bowls.
- 4
Pour the boiling broth over the beef so it cooks instantly.
- 5
Serve at once with spring onion and soy paste.
- ✓
Serve. About 20 min from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
