Chinese Braised Beef, Carrot Salad & Rice Noodles
Sometimes you still want a slow cooked something but at this time of year, a full on stew seems a little too much. This Chinese braised beef is wonderfully light and fragrant, with rice noodles and crunchy carrot salad for texture and colour.
Ingredients
- Dried rice noodles, thick (ho fun) or thin (pad thai)
For the beef
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 5cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1tsp ground coriander
- 100ml Shaoxin wine
- 2tbsp tamari
- 1ltr beef stock
- 2tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 cinnamon bark/stick
- 2 star anise
- 2tbsp oil
- 500g beef shin, diced
For the carrot salad
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 3 small red chillies, diced (seeds left in if you’re brave!)
- 1tbsp fish sauce
- 1tsp palm sugar
- 1 lime, juice
- Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 150C
- Blend together onion, ginger, garlic and coriander in a food processor to create a thick paste
- Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan with lid, and fry the paste to become aromatic
- Add in all other ingredients except the beef shin, bringing it all to the boil and well combined
- Slowly add in the beef, and bring to the boil before putting in the oven for 2hrs
- When it’s done, using a slotted spoon, lift out the beef and set aside keeping warm. Bring the rest of the liquid up to a vigorous boil to reduce by at least half
- Meanwhile, for the salad, mix the first three ingredients together in a big bowl and the fish sauce, palm sugar and juice in a smaller bowl. Set both aside until ready to serve
- Cook the noodles according the packet’s instructions (usually done in 5mins simmering water) and drain
- Add the beef back into the liquid
- Plate up! Noodles on. Carrot salad on with a good spoonful or two of the dressing. Beef on. Sprinkle with coriander