Chinese Beef Hot Pot

Eating food that is healthy AND delicious is not always an easy task.  It also need to look interesting as well.  Here I have created what I call Chinese Beef Hot Pot, a mixture of satisfying boneless, beef country ribs that have been rubbed with soy sauce and Chinese Five Spice Powder, then roasted to seal in the flavors.  This recipe is a little time intensive if you think about the two hours it takes to make the broth, but that is just part of the process and you will enjoy the reward.  Studded with fresh mushroom, chinese noodles, green onions and tofu, it is sure to liven up your dinner table and inspire conversation with your loved ones.

3 lbs. boneless-beef, country-style ribs
2 tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. five spice powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and place ribs into a 9X13 baking dish.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and five spice powder.  Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes. 

12 cups water
3 onions, quartered
2 carrots, roughly chopped (you do not need to peel them)
1 bunch of green onion roughly chopped
1 tbsp black peppercorns

Place all ingredients into a stockpot and after you have removed ribs from oven, place them and their liquids in with the other ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for two hours to make broth.  Once time is done, place ingredients into a strainer to remove solids.  You will want to extract the beef from the vegetable and place them back into the stockpot you were using.  Take a fork and pull the beef to shred it.  Then you will pour the broth back into the pot.  Next, you will add the following:

1 package of fresh, sliced mushrooms
1 bunch of green onions, medium-chopped
1 14 oz package of medium-firm tofu, cubed
1 10 oz package of chinese noodles
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. soy sauce

Bring all ingredients up to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve and enjoy.  This meal can also be portioned out into ten individualized servings.