Beef Shank Broth Bakso

Method

1. Put the shank and water in a 22 cm pot and bring to the boil on high heat for 7 min, skimming off the grey foam carefully with a ladle. Add the ginger, turn down to low heat and simmer with the lid ajar for 1 h 30 min, until a chopstick slides into the meat easily. If the liquid drops below about two-thirds of its starting level, top up with hot water.

   Add in this stepBeef shank, in one piece 250 gWater 1,600 mlGinger, sliced and bruised 10 g

   high heat→low heat

2. While the broth simmers, make the meatball paste. Put the beef in the freezer for 20 min, until the edges are just firm. In a food processor, blitz the beef, meatball garlic, part of the salt and white pepper, the sugar, baking powder and half the ice, then add the rest of the ice and the tapioca and process for 3 min more, until glossy and smooth.

   Add in this stepLean beef, minced twice and very cold 200 gGarlic cloves for the meatballs, finely grated 2Salt ¼ tspGround white pepper ¼ tspSugar ½ tspBaking powder ¼ tspCrushed ice 80 gTapioca starch 20 g

3. Tip the paste into a bowl. Pick up a lump in one hand and slap it hard against the bottom of the bowl 30 to 40 times, until it holds together springily and comes away cleanly from your hand. This tightens the proteins and gives bakso its signature bounce. Cover and rest in the fridge for 15 min.

4. Make the garlic oil: put the oil and chopped garlic into a small cold pan together and heat on medium-low heat for 4 min, stirring. As soon as the garlic turns pale gold, pour it into a heatproof bowl; left in the pan, it keeps cooking, burns in seconds and turns bitter.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2 tbspGarlic cloves for the garlic oil, finely chopped 5

   medium-low heat

5. Lift out the shank and slice it thinly against the grain. Strain the broth through a fine sieve back into the pot and add the celery and the rest of the salt and white pepper. Set the heat to low heat and keep the broth just below a simmer (about 85 °C, with only tiny bubbles rising from the bottom).

   Add in this stepChinese celery or celery leaves, finely chopped 15 gSalt ½ tspGround white pepper ½ tsp

   low heat

6. With a wet hand, squeeze the paste up between your thumb and index finger into 3 cm balls and drop them into the broth with a spoon. Cook for 8 min from the first one in, letting them carry on a little after they float. Cut one open: no pink inside means they are done.

7. In another 18 cm pot, bring water to the boil on high heat and cook the fresh noodles for 2 min, adding the bean sprouts for the last 30 seconds. Drain well.

   Add in this stepFresh thick yellow egg noodles 120 gBean sprouts 60 g

   high heat

8. Put the noodles and sprouts in bowls, add the sliced shank and meatballs and ladle over the hot broth. Drizzle each bowl with a teaspoon of garlic oil, top with spring onion and fried shallots, and serve with kecap manis and sambal.

   Add in this stepSpring onion, sliced 1Crispy fried shallots 2 tbspKecap manis (sweet soy sauce) 2 tspSambal oelek (chilli paste) 2 tsp