Yakka Mein, aka “Old Sober”

From Cinnamon Cooper

This recipe is most often served in small corner markets, on street corners late at night, and at the many festivals in New Orleans. The true history of the dish is unknown, but is an interesting Asian-inspired soup made with things that are inexpensive and easy to come by. It is called “Old Sober”, because it is a great restorative for after a night of drinking. And the leftovers are just as fantastic for you the next day.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
1 medium bell pepper, chopped fine (any color is fine)
2 celery stalks, chopped fine with leaves added
2 large garlic cloves, minced or left whole
3 pounds of beef stew meat, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon Creole spice blend
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 boiled egg per serving
1 pound of spaghetti
chopped scallion and hot sauce for garnish

Preparation
Put a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a stew pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sprinkle the salt over the vegetables. Let it cook over medium heat until the onion has turned clear and the other vegetables are just starting to brown. This should take about 5-10 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Add more oil as needed to prevent sticking and burning.

Remove the vegetables from the pan. Season the beef with salt and place it in the pan (with a little more oil) and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until the meat has browned lightly.

Return the vegetables to the pan along with the spices and the soy sauce. Add 3 quarts of beef broth, or 3 quarts of water and 3-5 beef bouillon cubes, to the pan. Cover it with a lid and let it simmer over medium-low heat for 2-3 hours. The meet should be very tender.

Remove the beef from the pan and use forks to shred the meat. Return it to the pan and stir it back in. Let it cook for a few minutes to return it to the proper temperature. Once it is warmed up, serve it by adding a pile of boiled spaghetti noodles to a bowl. Place a boiled egg cut in half on top. Ladle the beef and vegetables and broth into the bowl. Garnish with chopped scallion and hot sauce as desired.