Cantonese Braised Beef with Daikon Radish
Ingredients: Boneless Beef Stew Meat, Chinese Cooking Wine, Scallions, Ginger, Sichuan Peppercorns · 180 min cook time · 585kcal · $29.95
Ingredients
1.13kg Boneless Beef Stew Meat, 0.25cup Chinese Cooking Wine, 2pieces Scallions, 2inches Ginger, 0.5tbsp Sichuan Peppercorns, 2tbsp Zhu Hou Paste, 2tbsp Hoisin Sauce, 1.5tbsp Pure Peanut Butter, 1tbsp Sichuan Dou Ban Jiang, 2pieces Fermented Bean Curd, 3tbsp Sugar, 2tbsp Cooking Oil, 6cloves Garlic, 1piece Star Anise, 2pieces Bay Leaves, 1piece Cinnamon Stick, 1piece Orange Peel, 4pieces Gan Cao (Licorice Root), 1small piece Dried Galangal, 2pieces Red Dried Chilies, 4cups Warm Water, 4tbsp Soy Sauce, 2tsp Dark Soy Sauce, 900g Chinese Daikon Radish, 2tsp Salt
Instructions
1. Cut the boneless beef stew meat into 1-inch cubes. You can also use beef shank, bone-in short ribs, bottom sirloin flap, fatty brisket, oxtail, or beef tendon.
2. Fill a pot with water, add the beef, 1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine, 2 scallions (tied into knots), 2 inches of sliced ginger, and 1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Skim off any foamy stuff floating on top. Remove the spices and aromatics. Remove the beef from the water and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp Zhu Hou paste, 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce, 1.5 tbsp pure peanut butter, 1 tbsp Sichuan Dou Ban Jiang, and 2 pieces of fermented bean curd. Crush and mix well. Add 3 tbsp sugar and incorporate thoroughly.
4. Turn the heat to high on a clay pot. Add about 2 tbsp cooking oil. Add 6 cloves of garlic, 2 inches of sliced ginger, 1 piece of star anise, 2 bay leaves, 1 piece of cinnamon stick, 1 piece of orange peel (aged and preserved for more complexity, fresh can be used), 4 pieces of Gan Cao (licorice root, or 1 tsp fennel seeds as a replacement), and 2 red dried chilies. Stir everything for a couple of minutes until the surface of the garlic is slightly golden.
5. Add the prepared sauce to the clay pot. Keep stirring for a few minutes to activate the aroma. Add the blanched beef. Mix until every piece is coated nicely. Use a spatula to scrape down the bottom to prevent sticking.
6. Add 4-5 cups of warm water, enough to cover all the meat. Bring this to a boil. Taste and adjust the flavor. Add 4 tbsp soy sauce and drizzle in 2 tsp dark soy sauce for color. Turn the heat to the lowest and let it simmer for 2 hours or until tender.
7. While the beef is simmering, peel the daikon radish. Double peel the skin to remove bitter elements. Cut the radish into big chunks using the roll-cutting technique.
8. Bring some water to a boil in a separate pot and add the daikon radish. Let it blanch for a few minutes to remove the bitter taste. Take the radish out and transfer it into the clay pot with the beef.
9. Give it a gentle stir and bring it back to a simmer. Taste to adjust the flavor. Add about 2 tsp of salt. Continue to simmer for about 20 minutes until the daikon radish is tender.
10. Serve the braised beef with daikon radish. You can skim off the layer of beef fat on top if you don't like it. Garnish with chopped scallions.
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