Chinese Braised Beef

As much as I love a good old fashioned braised beef casserole, sometimes I just want to pump up the flavour threshold and give it a bit of pep!

So, since my current obsession is with Thai and Chinese flavours, I thought what better than to turn our Sunday casserole into something a little more exciting?

Unlike your usual quick stir fried oriental style dishes, this is cooked low and slow, like a traditional braised beef casserole. You’ll end up with meltingly tender beef in a wonderful sweet, sticky sauce, bursting with fresh flavours.

I served this with some steamed rice, but it would go equally well with noodles.

Chinese Braised Beef
Serves 3 (or 2 adults & 2 small children)
Easily doubled

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 450g beef stewing steak – cut into medium sized chunks
• 2 large onions – sliced thinly
• 40g root ginger – peeled & diced very finely
• 1 red chilli – deseeded & diced very finely
• 3 cloves garlic – crushed
• Small bunch of coriander – leaves removed and reserved, stalks chopped.
• 2 tsp Chinese five spice
• 3 whole star anise
• A good pinch of black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 50ml dark soy sauce
• 50ml light soy sauce
• 50g dark muscovado sugar
• 400ml beef stock

Method

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large pan, and add the beef. Fry in the oil until browned & remove from the pan, along with most of the juices.
2. Put the onions, ginger, red chilli, garlic, and coriander stalks in the pan and sauté for 5 – 7 minutes.
3. While the onions are softening, in a bowl mix together the tomato puree, light & dark soy & dark muscovado sugar. Set aside.
4. Once the onions are nicely softened, reintroduce the beef and juices to the pan, along with the Chinese five spice, black pepper, and the star anise. Allow to cook for a minute or so.
5. Add the sauce you set aside to the pan, stir through, then add the beef stock.
6. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, over a low heat, for 2 – 2.5 hours, until the beef is tender, and the sauce reduced to your liking.
7. Serve with steamed rice or noodles, sprinkled with the coriander leaves you reserved.