Ngau Lam Mein

Ngau lam mein is the slow-cooked soul of Hong Kong noodle culture — thick, gelatinous braised beef brisket and tendon in a rich spiced broth ladled over egg noodles. The dish reflects the meeting of Cantonese cooking technique with the spice trade, using chu hou paste and star anise to create a broth that simmers for hours and deepens with each reheating.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 800g (1¾ lb) beef brisket, cut into 5cm (2 inch) chunks
• 300g (10½ oz) beef tendon (optional, for authenticity)
• 3 tbsp (45ml) vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp (60g) chu hou (柱侯) paste
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4cm (1½ inch) fresh ginger, sliced
• 3 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 piece dried tangerine peel (chen pi)
• 2 tbsp (30ml) dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (12g) rock sugar or brown sugar
• 1 litre (4 cups) beef or chicken stock
• 400g (14 oz) fresh flat Hong Kong egg noodles
• Spring onions, chilli sauce, and pickled mustard greens (zha cai), to serve

Instructions

1. Blanch the beef brisket and tendon in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and pat dry.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or wok over high heat. Brown the brisket pieces in batches until seared on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the chu hou paste, garlic, and ginger to the pot and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Return the beef (and tendon) to the pot. Add the star anise, bay leaves, tangerine peel, both soy sauces, rock sugar, and stock. Add enough water to just cover the meat.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest simmer. Cover and cook for 2.5-3 hours (tendon needs 3 hours) until the brisket is completely tender and yielding. Check occasionally and top up with water as needed.
6. Cook the noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and divide into bowls. Ladle broth over the noodles and top generously with sliced brisket and tendon.
7. Serve with spring onions, pickled mustard greens on the side, and chilli sauce.

Cook's Notes: This dish improves enormously the next day. The broth sets into a rich jelly when refrigerated — skim the fat and reheat gently. Chu hou paste is a fermented soybean paste available at Chinese grocery stores.