Chinese Beef Stew with Potatoes (土豆炖牛肉)
Easily prepared but intensely flavoured, Chinese beef stew with potatoes tastes tender, succulent and aromatic.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 700 g beef, cut into chunks (about 1.5 lb, see note 1)
- 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 thumb-sized ginger, smashed
- 2 star anises
- 1 pc cassia cinnamon (Chinese cinnamon)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 clove 2 cloves
- 2 dry chilies (optional)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 600 ml hot water (about 2.5 cups)
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks ()
- 1 medium carrot, cut into chunks ()
- Coriander (cilantro), chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Put beef into a pot filled with cold water (enough to cover the meat completely). Bring the water to a full boil. Use a spoon to skim off the froth on the surface. Then drain well.
- 2
In a clean pot, fry onion in oil over medium-low heat until soft and lightly browned. Stir in ginger and all the spices. Fry until fragrant.
- 3
Add the beef, along with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine and hot water. Bring it to a full boil then turn down the heat to low. Cover with a lid. Leave to simmer for about 1h30 until the meat becomes tender (see note 3 & 4). Give the broth a taste, add a little salt if necessary.
- 4
Put potato and carrot chunks into the pot. Add some water if it seems too dry. Leave to simmer without the lid for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are fully cooked.
- 5
Turn the heat up to reduce the broth if you wish. However, this step is entirely optional. Garnish with coriander (cilantro) if using. Serve immediately with plain rice.