Beef Brisket Soup (清湯牛腩)

Clear broth beef brisket soup is Cantonese comfort food at its most fundamental: a pot of water, a piece of beef, some dried aromatics, and time. The broth is supposed to be clear, not murky, which means the brisket gets parboiled first in a separate pot of water with ginger and cooking wine to remove the scum and blood proteins that would otherwise cloud the soup. The parboiled brisket goes into a clean pot with fresh water, and everything simmers for about two hours.

The aromatics are modest: star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, dried mandarin peel, dried scallops, and ginger. They infuse the broth with a warm, aromatic depth without overwhelming the clean beef flavor. Dried scallops add a layer of umami that chicken bouillon alone cannot provide. The mandarin peel, rehydrated from dried, gives the broth a faint citrus note that lifts the heaviness.

Daikon radish goes in during the last 30 to 45 minutes. It absorbs the beefy broth and turns translucent and sweet, becoming one of the best parts of the dish. The brisket is removed, cooled slightly, and sliced across the grain into thick pieces that go back into the bowl with the radish and broth. A dipping sauce of chili sauce and soy sauce on the side lets you season each bite.