Beef Noodle Soup

 Ingredients ...

[1] beef shank ~4 lbs. cut into 1.1/2 inches cubes

[2] ginger large 20 slices, ~2mm in thickness

[3] rock sugar x3, 1 cubic cm each
[4] scallion 3 stalks, cross cut into 4 pieces each
[5] spice bag x1

[6] star anise x2
[7] pepper corn x20
[8] regular soybean paste 1 Tbsp

[9] sweet soybean paste, 1 Tbsp

[10] oil 5 tsp
[11] black pepper, 1/4 tsp
[12] noodle

[13] enough water to cover the meat when in the instant pot

[14] big carrot x3, cut into chunk about 1.1/2 cubic inches
[15] any vegetable. if use the following, cut into 3 or 4 pieces along the root. soak in the water for 15 minutes and rinse. spinach is good too.

[16] plumb tomato, 2, cut into 1 cm^3 cubes

[17] cooking wine, 1/2 cup

[18] garlic x5 cloves, sliced

[19] chicken broth x1, optional

[20] soy sauce 1Tbsp

[21] dry hot red pepper x2, optional

Directions ...

--- to make the soup ...

[a] median heat +[10] +[4] +[2] +[18], sauté for 1.5 minutes

[b] +[1], +[20], stir for 2 minutes +[8] +[9], stir until fragrant

[c] +[16] stir for another minute ==> [A]

[d] put [A] into the instant pot +[17] +[5] +[6] +[7] +[11] +[13] +[3] +[21], use stew, (~34 minutes) ==> [B]

[e] put [B] into a big pot, take out ginger/star anise/spice bag/scallion, bring to boil

[f] +[19] or water, if the soup is not enough, bring to boil

[g] +[14] cook for 15 minutes till carrot becomes soft ==> [C]

--- to cook vegetable and noodle ...

[h] bring a pot of water to boil, +[15] bring to boil, take [15] out when 80% done ==>[D]

[i] +[12] bring to boil again, lower heat (but keep the water bubbling) till done (~9 minutes) ==>[E]

--- to serve ...

[j] [D] +[E] +[C] for each bowl.

Notes ... 

-- the combination of [8], [9] and [20] might be salty.  adjust accordingly.

-- pictures of [5], [8] and [9] are the brands I use, other brands are available as well.