star anise

This super-savory dish draws its inspiration from Taiwanese beef noodle soup, then gilds the lily with a Dutch oven’s worth of sweet, slow-simmered onions—the best part of French onion soup.

French Onion Beef Noodle Soup

vegetable oil

lb. English-style bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 2" segments

Kosher salt

scallions, white and dark green parts separated

garlic

4" piece ginger, scrubbed, thinly sliced

star anise pods

cinnamon sticks

cloves

black peppercorns

coriander seeds

dry white wine

(or more) low-sodium soy sauce

unsalted butter

lb. onions (about 10 medium), thinly sliced

Tbsp. (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar

fresh or 18 oz. dried ramen noodles

This super-savory dish draws its inspiration from Taiwanese beef noodle soup, then gilds the lily with a Dutch oven’s worth of sweet, slow-simmered onions—the best part of French onion soup, if you ask this recipe’s developer, Amiel Stanek. It takes some doing, but the effort is worth it. If you’re not planning on serving a crowd, the leftover soup base freezes beautifully, meaning you can have a big-flavor weeknight dinner in your back pocket.

Bon Appétit

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Season short ribs with salt and, working in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, 12–14 minutes. Transfer to a platter as you go. Carefully pour off fat left behind in pot until there is just enough to cover bottom of pot; discard.

Return pot to medium heat. Cook whole white scallion parts, garlic, and ginger, stirring occasionally, until they are starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add star anise, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and coriander seeds and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and oil is sizzling, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer until almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Return beef to pot and add soy sauce and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover partially with a lid. Simmer until meat is not quite falling off the bone, about 1½ hours.

Meanwhile, heat butter in another large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high until foaming subsides. Add onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until they begin to take on some color, about 15 minutes. (If they don’t fit in your pot, add as much as you can, cover, and steam 5 minutes. Stir in remaining onions and continue cooking.) Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden and softened but not mushy, 30–45 minutes.

Using tongs, remove beef from broth and let cool until you can handle. Tear meat into bite-size pieces, discarding any bone and excess fat as you go. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.

Add meat and broth to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is reduced a bit and flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Add vinegar; taste and add more vinegar and/or soy sauce if needed.

Thinly slice remaining scallion greens. Cook noodles according to package directions. Divide among bowls. Ladle soup over noodles, making sure each bowl gets some meat and plenty of onions. Top with scallion greens and serve.

This is the kind of chicken noodle soup I can get into. It's warming and comforting, with hunks of chicken meat and slinky noodles suspended in a rich stock. But this isn't some bland rendition. No, this soup is imbued with the haunting aroma of star anise and cinnamon, and tickled by the numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper. A sprinkling of chopped chile completes this assertive bowl of soup, which comes together surprisingly fast.

Dinner Tonight: Sichuan-Style Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

leek, cleaned, ends trimmed, hard green parts discarded, and thinly sliced

shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced

chicken stock

soy sauce

rice wine

cinnamon

Sichuan pepper

black pepper

noodles egg

chicken,

jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, Pour oil into medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Add leeks and mushrooms. Cook until leeks are soft, about four minutes.

Add chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine, cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan pepper, and black pepper. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for five minutes. 

Meanwhile, add noodles to large pot of boiling cook for exactly one minute less than instructions on packaging say. When timer goes off, drain noodles and transfer to saucepan. Add shredded roast chicken and cook for one minute. 

Serve soup in large bowls with garnish of chopped jalapenos to taste. 

We love homemade vinegar, but, yes, you can use supermarket stuff for this, and it will still be awesome.

Vinegar-Braised Chicken Legs

chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 3 pounds total)

olive oil

shiitake mushrooms

shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise

ginger, peeled, thinly sliced

red chile, sliced

garlic cloves, crushed

chicken broth

red wine vinegar

golden raisins

brown sugar

chives (for serving)

Season chicken with salt. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is golden brown and very crisp, 10–12 minutes. Transfer chicken skin side up to a plate.

Add mushrooms, shallots, cinnamon, ginger, chile, garlic, and star anise to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots and garlic are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add broth, vinegar, raisins, soy sauce, and brown sugar and stir to dissolve sugar. Nestle chicken legs skin side up back into pot. Bring to a simmer and cook, lowering heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until chicken is very tender (knee joints should flex easily), 60–75 minutes.

Heat broiler. Transfer chicken to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce braising liquid until thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, if needed.

Broil chicken legs just until skin is crisp again, 30–60 seconds. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and spoon braising liquid around it, topping with shallots and aromatic spices. Serve topped with chives.

This delicious twice-cooked Chinese pork belly is really tender and packed with great flavours. Serve with green vegetables and steamed rice

Twice-Cooked Chinese Pork Belly

pork belly 1.5kg, skin removed and cut into big 5cm chunks

groundnut oil 1 tbsp

brown sugar 3 tbsp

garlic 3 cloves, crushed

ginger a walnut-sized piece, peeled and grated

spring onions 4, chopped

star anise 2

cinnamon 1 stick, broken

shaoxing wine 4 tbsp

soy sauce 2 tbsp

spring greens

greens

rice

Spicy chile crisp is a versatile condiment. Use it on noodles, over stir-fries, on eggs, with cold leftover meats, or in cold salads. (It’s especially good paired with yogurt and crisp, refreshing vegetables like cucumbers or raw snap peas.)

Sichuan Chile Oil

chiles de árbol, stems and seeds removed (see Note)

ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed (see Note)

neutral oil, oil

garlic cloves,

(1-inch) unpeeled knob fresh ginger, smashed with the side of a knife

Sichuan peppercorns

star anise pod

cumin seeds

fennel seeds

sugar

sesame seeds (black,

salt

MSG powder,

Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut all of the chiles into 1/2-inch pieces. Toast chiles in a dry wok or saucepan over medium heat, stirring and shaking constantly, until fragrant and lightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes.

Transfer toasted chiles to the bowl of a food processor or mortar and pestle, and pulse or pound until the chiles break into 1/8- to 1/4-inch pieces that resemble store-bought red-pepper flakes or flaky sea salt. (Be careful not to overprocess.) Transfer the chile flakes to a heat-proof mixing bowl.

Combine oil, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cumin and fennel seeds in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until gently bubbling, then cook for 10 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain the barest of bubbling.

Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl with the chiles. Pour the hot oil through strainer over the chiles. Discard solids. Stir sugar, sesame seeds, salt and MSG, if using, into oil mixture until combined. Allow to cool, transfer to a sealed container, and let rest at room temperature overnight before using. You can store chile oil in a cool, dark pantry for a few weeks, or indefinitely in the refrigerator.

This recipe for a simple dish of mala beef comes from Jason Wang of Xi’an Famous Foods in New York, but as Wang puts it, “You can mala anything.” Spicy chiles and tingly Sichuan peppercorns define mala, one of the many flavors of Sichuan cuisine, and though it can season beef, the same technique for a vivid, brilliant sauce can be applied to a big pile of sautéed mushrooms, or simmered tofu and sautéed greens. However you choose to make it, serve the dish over hot rice or simmered noodles and finish it with a little drizzle of Sichuan chile oil, if you’ve got it.

Spicy and Tingly Beef

beef

red onion, diced

scallions,

ginger,

star anise pod, broken

red chiles,

Pixian doubanjiang

Shaoxing cooking wine

tomato,

Sichuan peppercorn powder (or 2 tablespoons whole Sichuan peppercorns, finely ground)

red chile powder (preferably from Tianjin chiles)

Sichuan chile crisp

Place the meat in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches; bring to a boil. Let boil for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat, drain the water and transfer the meat to a cutting board. When it’s cool enough to handle, cut the meat into approximately 1-inch cubes.

In the same pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium. Add the onion, scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise and dried red chiles, and sauté for about 30 seconds. Reduce heat slightly, and stir in Pixian sauce, letting it cook until the red oil rises. Add the beef, cooking wine, soy sauce and 2 cups water.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat to low so the liquid holds at a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes, until meat is tender and the sauce is reduced. If the pan starts to dry out, exposing the meat, add a splash of water as needed.

Once the meat is cooked, add the tomato, Sichuan peppercorn powder and chile powder, and stir to combine. Turn off the heat, and cover for about 5 minutes so the flavors can meld. Serve over warm rice or noodles, and finish with a drizzle of Sichuan chile crisp.

Also known as dan dan mian, these noodles have regional variations — you’re likely to find a peanut-laden, vegetarian version in Taiwan — but this recipe comes from Café China, a beloved Sichuan restaurant in New York City. Popularized in Chengdu, this dish takes its name from the Mandarin verb “dan,” which refers to how vendors once carried the ingredients, hanging from bamboo poles balanced on their shoulders. The dish builds on a complex chile sauce that is more rich and robust than fiery. Though the ingredient list is lengthy, the process is clear-cut: Get the water boiling for your noodles while you prepare the sauce. Sauté the pork, seasoned with suimiyacai (preserved mustard greens), boil your noodles, and dinner is served.

Café China’s Dan Dan Noodles

(2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

red-pepper flakes

chile,

pork

soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)

sesame paste

Maggi seasoning, soy sauce

snow pea shoots

Shanghai-style wheat noodles, or other fresh noodles

scallion greens,

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the noodles.

Prepare the chile oil: In a medium skillet, heat the 1/2 cup oil over high. Add the ginger, star anise, red-pepper flakes, ground chile, fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon to a medium heatproof bowl. Once the oil is shimmering, about 3 to 5 minutes, pour it over the spices. (The mixture will bubble vigorously.) Set aside for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract as much seasoned oil as possible. Makes 1/3 cup chile oil.

Prepare the pork: In a wok or nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil over high. Add the pork and cook, breaking it up the pork and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the suimiyacai and stir quickly until just combined. Set aside. (The goal here is simply to integrate the mustard greens; there is no need to cook them.)

Once chile oil has cooled, whisk in the soy sauce, sesame paste and Maggi seasoning. Set out four individual serving bowls, and add 2 tablespoons of chile sauce to each.

Once the water boils, add the snow pea shoots to blanch just until wilted, about 1 minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl. Add noodles to the boiling water and cook until just softened and tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water just to cool slightly.

Using tongs, divide the noodles and pea shoots among the bowls. (It’s OK if the noodles are dripping some water; a little extra moisture is ideal so the noodles remain glossy but not sticky.) Top each with pork mixture, sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately.

Mix the noodles to coat with chile sauce before eating, and serve with additional sauce at the table.

Roast Duck With Blueberry Sauce

Granny Smith apple

onion, peeled

blueberries

star anise star anise

lime

orange

white wine vinegar

whole ducks, trimmed of excess fat, giblets discarded

Prepare blueberry sauce: Peel, quarter and core apple. Place in a food processor with onion and finely chop. Place in a saucepan with blueberries, sugars, star anise, zests and vinegar.

Place mixture over high heat to bring to a boil, then simmer until pulpy and beginning to thicken, about 30 minutes. (Mixture will be quite liquid after 20 minutes, but begins to thicken by 30 minutes, and will thicken more once cold.)

If whole star anise were used, remove and discard them. Transfer sauce to a sterilized jar, cover and allow to cool. For best flavor, allow to rest one day before serving. (Makes 1 generous cup.)

Prepare ducks: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place ducks on a rack in a roasting pan. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours, periodically draining off fat in pan. Raise heat to 400 degrees, and roast an additional 30 minutes to crisp skin.

To serve, remove ducks from oven and place on a carving board. Cut each duck into four pieces. Cut away meat from rib cage, discarding rib bones. Arrange on a serving platter, crispy skin side up. Serve with blueberry sauce.

This deeply flavored broth comes together in no time, thanks to toasted spices, browned onions, ginger, beef bones—and pressure, of course.

Instant Pot Beef Pho

cinnamon stick

Tbsp. vegetable oil,

peeled,

2" piece ginger, scrubbed, sliced lengthwise ¼" thick

beef brisket

Tbsp. (or more) fish sauce

yellow rock sugar sugar

dried thin Banh Pho rice noodles

beef eye of round, sirloin steak, London broil, or tri-tip steak

Rinsed thinly sliced onion,

Making traditional beef pho can be an all-day affair, with the broth bubbling away for 3–6 hours. This instant pot version takes an hour and a half (including pressure-release time), but it doesn’t sacrifice flavor thanks to toasted spices and browned onions and ginger that get simmered along with beef bones and brisket. Using a variety of bones as well as brisket is the secret to umami-rich broth. While you’re waiting for the broth to finish cooking, prep all your garnishes and noodles so everything will come together quickly at the end. Pour the hot broth over your assembled bowls and watch your beef slices cook on the spot.
Cook’s Notes: Yellow rock sugar can be found in specialty markets and online. It’s a honey-hued sugar that is mildly sweet and rounds out the flavors in pho broth. Break down into large pieces with a mallet to use. It is used in Asian drinks, desserts, and soups.

Set a 6-qt. Instant Pot to high sauté. Toast star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves, stirring, until fragrant and crackling slightly, about 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. oil and work around to coat bottom of pot. Reduce heat to medium, add onions, cut sides down, and ginger, and cook, undisturbed, until deep brown in spots, 5–7 minutes.

Pour in 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, then add beef bones, brisket, fish sauce, sugar, 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and another 6 cups water (or just up to your max fill line). Lock lid and turn venting knob to sealing position. Cook on high pressure 1 hour (it will take about 20 minutes to come to pressure before the cook time begins). Naturally release pressure 30 minutes.

While the broth is cooking, place noodles in a large bowl and pour in cold water to cover. Let soak 30 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse to remove excess starch.

Freeze beef eye of round until firm, 20–30 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain, then chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Once pressure on pot has released 30 minutes, place a kitchen towel loosely over vent to prevent splattering. Using a wooden spoon, gradually open venting knob. As soon as floating pin drops, carefully open lid. Using tongs, transfer bones to a large bowl.

Place brisket in another large bowl and pour cool water over to cool down and keep from drying out. Using a fine-mesh sieve, scoop out solids from broth; discard aromatics and reserve any meat and bones for serving if desired. (Leftover meat and bones can also be reserved for another use; add to fried rice or bibimbap or scoop out marrow and slather it over slices of grilled toast.) Skim fat from surface with a ladle and discard. Taste broth and season with more fish sauce or salt if needed. Set to low sauté and simmer gently while you cook the noodles.

Fill a large pot one third of the way with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add noodles and cook, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to stir, until just al dente, about 15 seconds. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse well under cold water to stop cooking. Drizzle a little oil over and toss to coat (this will keep them from sticking together).

Remove brisket from water and thinly against the grain. Divide noodles among deep bowls. (Pro tip: Before adding noodles, swirl hot water inside bowls to warm up, then discard.) Top each bowl with a few slices of brisket, sliced beef eye of round, and any reserved meat and bones (if using) and top with sliced onion, scallions, and cilantro (if using); season with pepper. Ladle hot broth over raw beef to cook.

Arrange Thai basil leaves, mint leaves, mung bean sprouts, chiles, and lime wedges on a platter for topping pho as desired and serve with Sriracha and hoisin sauce in small bowls for dipping.
Do ahead: Broth can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill. The fat will solidify on the surface, making it easier to skim and flavors will deepen. Strained and skimmed broth can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill, or freeze up to 3 months.
Cook’s Notes: Yellow rock sugar can be found in Asian supermarkets. It’s a honey-hued sugar that is mildly sweet and rounds out the flavors in pho broth. Break down into large pieces with a mallet to use. It is used in Asian drinks, desserts, and soups.

In India, just about every home has its own recipe for garam masala, which is the most common spice blend in the country and a cornerstone of the cuisines of South Asia. This recipe, which is sweeter and more minimalist than many other versions, is adapted from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/dining/floyd-cardoz-dead-coronavirus.html">Floyd Cardoz</a>, the pioneering Indian chef who opened Tabla and Bombay Bread Bar in New York. Versatile and aromatic, this blend can be used in everything from curries and dal to pumpkin pie and gingerbread.

Garam Masala

green cardamom pods (1 gram)

black cardamom pods (5 grams)

(1 gram)

cinnamon sticks,

mace blades/arils (3 grams), see Note

star anise pods (2 grams)

bay leaves, preferably Indian

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Spread spices on a small rimmed baking pan and toast until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack and let the spices cool.

Using a spice grinder, clean coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle, grind the spices until fine. If you like, you can strain the mix through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any coarse bits, but this is optional. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Slow-Roasted Duck With Peppered Pineapple Chutney

duckling,

lemons

garlic,

Salt and black pepper

onion

cider vinegar

light brown sugar,

whole black peppercorns, crushed

Rinse duck, pat it dry and pull any excess fat away from cavity. Using a skewer or sharp fork, prick skin all over, piercing it horizontally to penetrate into the layer of fat, not the flesh. Halve two lemons, and place them in cavity along with anise, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Put duck on a V-shaped roasting rack placed in a roasting pan. Place it in oven, and pour about an inch of water in pan. Roast for 8 hours.

Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and roast about 20 minutes longer, just until the skin is crisp and brown.

While duck is roasting, place pineapple in a heavy saucepan. Add the juice and grated rind of the remaining lemon, along with the onion, vinegar, sugar and crushed peppercorns. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium-high heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick. Adjust the amount of sugar to taste. The chutney should be somewhat tart. It can be made either shortly before the duck has finished roasting or earlier in the day and refrigerated, then rewarmed for serving.

Remove chutney from heat, and transfer to a serving dish.

Remove duck from oven. Cut it in sections, and arrange on a platter. Serve with warm chutney.

You may be surprised at how quickly this broth builds flavor, with massive depth from golden onions, tomatoes, soy sauce, and just a tiny bit of butter for a silky finish.

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