CantoneseEasy 75 min serves 4 Gluten-free

Clear Broth Daikon Beef (清炖萝卜牛腩)

Name: Clear Broth Daikon Beef (清炖萝卜牛腩)
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: beef brisket, 4cm chunks; daikon radish, peeled and cut into thick rounds; ginger, sliced; cooking wine; salt; white pepper; hot water; cilantro leaves

清炖萝卜牛腩 · qīng dùn luó bo niú ruǎn

家庭快手版 · Home version: Cantonese clear-broth style — light, clean, highlights the natural sweetness of daikon and beef.

Cantonese cooking values the natural flavor of ingredients above all. This clear-broth beef and daikon soup is a temple to that philosophy — simple, clean, deeply satisfying.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More beef recipes →Soups Healthy & Light

Ingredients

beef brisket, 4cm chunks牛腩块🛒 local500 g
daikon radish, peeled and cut into thick rounds白萝卜🛒 local400 g
ginger, sliced姜片🛒 local3 slices
cooking wine料酒🏮 asian1 tbsp
salt盐🛒 localto taste
white pepper白胡椒粉🛒 local1/4 tsp
hot water热水🛒 local1.5 L
cilantro leaves香菜🛒 local1 bunch

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

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Instructions

1Blanch brisket: cold water, bring to boil, skim foam thoroughly, drain and rinse.
焯水
🔍 Look for
Visual: 灰色浮沫全部去除All gray foam removed
You know it's right when: 水变清澈Water is clear
2In a clean pot, add brisket, ginger, and cooking wine. Cover with hot water.
清炖
🔍 Look for
Visual: 水刚没过食材Water just covers meat
You know it's right when: 视觉信号已稳定状态已稳定
3Bring to boil, then reduce to the lowest possible heat. Skim any foam that rises.
保持清汤
🔍 Look for Low heat
Visual: 汤汁清澈微黄Broth is clear and pale
You know it's right when: 微微冒泡而非翻滚Gentle simmer, not rolling boil
4Simmer 45 min. Add daikon rounds. Cover and cook another 20-25 min until both are tender.
下萝卜
🔍 Look for Low heat 20-25 minutes
Visual: 萝卜变透明Daikon turns translucent
You know it's right when: 筷子能插入Pierce easily
5Season with salt and white pepper. Garnish with cilantro. Serve in bowls with broth.
调味出锅

Tips

· Keep the heat low — a rolling boil will make the broth cloudy.
· This soup is best when the broth is crystal clear.
· Daikon becomes sweeter the longer it cooks — don't rush it.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Can I reduce the salt/soy in this recipe?

Yes — soy sauce is the main sodium source. Use light soy at 2/3 amount and finish with salt only to taste. Rinse canned/doubanjiang components if possible. Note: reducing soy also reduces color; a drop of dark soy or a pinch of sugar can restore depth without salt.

Source: HǎoWèi diet guide

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library