One‑Pot Chinese Braised Beef

• olive oil↗3-4 tbsp tbsp
• garlic cloves↗6

  thinly sliced

• fresh ginger↗good thumb-size piece

  peeled and grated

• green onions↗1 bunch

  sliced

• red chilli↗1

  seedless, finely sliced

• braised beef1 ½kg kg

  cut into large pieces (we used beef cheek)

• plain flour↗2 tbsp tbsp

  well seasoned

• Chinese five‑spice powder1 tsp tsp
• star anise2

  (optional)

• light muscovado sugar↗2 tsp tsp

  (or use any you have)

• Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry↗3 tbsp tbsp
• dark soy sauce↗3 tbsp tbsp

  plus more for serving

• beef broth↗500ml ml

  (we used Knorr Touch of Taste)

• steamed bok choy

  and steamed basmati rice for serving

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, shallow pot. Sauté the garlic, ginger, green onions and chilli for about 3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Transfer to a plate. Coat the beef in flour, add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding the final tbsp of oil as needed. Each batch should take about 5 minutes to brown.

2. 2

   Add the five‑spice powder and star anise (if using) to the pot, pour in the ginger mixture, then sauté for 1 minute until the spices become aromatic. Add the sugar, then the beef and stir to combine. Keep the heat high, then pour in the wine or sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Preheat the oven to 150 °C (130 °C convection, gas mark 2).

3. 3

   Pour in the dark soy sauce and broth (it will not fully cover the meat), bring to a boil, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 4 hours, stirring the meat halfway through. If using a slow cooker, cook for 6 hours. The meat should become very tender and any connective tissue will melt away. Season with extra soy sauce. The stew can then be cooled and frozen for up to one month.

4. 4

   Gently place the cooked bok choy into the pot, then serve immediately with fresh basmati rice and enjoy.