Chinese-Style Braised Beef One-Pot by Good Food Middle East

Ingredients

• 1½ kg braising beef, cut into large pieces (ox cheek suggested)
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• good thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, peeled and shredded
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 500ml beef stock
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus more to serve
• 3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp plain flour, well seasoned
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 star anise (optional)
• 2 tsp light muscovado sugar
• to serve steamed bok choi
• to serve steamed basmati rice

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, shallow casserole dish over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic, shredded ginger, sliced spring onions, and sliced red chilli, then fry for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Remove the aromatic mixture and set aside on a plate.
2. Season the plain flour generously with salt and pepper, then toss the beef pieces in the seasoned flour to coat evenly. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the hot casserole (adding a final tablespoon if needed for subsequent batches). Brown the floured beef in batches, ensuring each batch takes about 5 minutes to develop a proper golden-brown crust.
3. Once all beef is browned, return it to the pan. Add the Chinese five-spice powder and star anise (if using) to the pan with the beef. Tip the earlier fried ginger-garlic-chilli mixture back into the pan, along with the muscovado sugar. Stir everything together to combine, ensuring the spices become fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Increase the heat to high. Pour in the Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon – this adds immense flavor. Heat oven to 150°C (fan 130°C/gas 2).
5. Pour in the dark soy sauce and beef stock (it may not completely cover the meat) and bring the liquid to a simmer. Tightly cover the casserole with a lid or foil, then transfer it to the preheated oven and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring the meat halfway through. The beef should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away.
6. Taste the braised beef and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce if desired. This dish can be chilled and frozen at this point for up to 1 month.
7. When ready to serve, nestle steamed bok choi into the hot braised beef. Bring the casserole directly to the table and serve immediately with steamed basmati rice.