Ingredients
3 lb brisket of beef or stew beef
4 tbsp peanut oil
SAUCE
2 ml fermented red bean cake *
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
4 tbsp shaoxing wine or dry sherry
4 tbsp thin soy sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 whole star anise
1 tsp roasted and crushed szechwan pepper, corns
1 tsp five spice powder
2 tsp sugar
6 cup water
1 large (about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs) chinese (ici, cle) radish,
Directions
Tough beef is most flavorful, but you must simmer it gently for
several hours to soften the sinewy muscle. Slow braising also
encourages an exchange of flavors between the meat and the tangy
sauce, enhancing both. Chinese radish adds just the right bite, much
as turnips would in a Western stew. In effect, this is Chinese beef
stew.
Game meats or goat meat may be substituted for the beef for a
delicious and unusual variation. Oxtails can also be braised in this
manner, or even veal shanks. Almost any cut of meat or organ that
requires extensive cooking does well if braised. The strong sauce
keeps the meat flavorful throughout.
Turnips or carrots may be substituted for the Chinese radish, and
chestnuts have a strong, sweet taste that holds up well to braising.
[Make a diagonal slice, roll daikon 1/4 turn and slice again.
Continue rolling and cutting until done. S.C.]
* [This is nice if you have some laying around, but don't worry if you
don't. The taste can be somewhat bizarre for a Westerner, but it
won't overwhelm the dish S.C.]
1. The preferred cut is brisket of beef, a boneless piece of tough
meat from the underside of the steer, because of its rich, gelatinous
texture when cooked. It is sold in Chinese meat markets as Chinese
stew beef. Any tough beef cut can be used, such as boneless chuck and
bottom round.
2. Trim away the outer layers of fat.
3. Cut the meat into 1 1/2 inch strips.
4. Cut the strips into cubes.
5. Brown the meat on all sides in a wok over a high flame in 3
tablespoons of the oil. Set it aside.
6. In the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, over a high flame, break up
the red bean curd with a spatula.
7. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Bring them to a boil.
8. Add the beef to the sauce, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the
wok, and braise the beef for 2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, add the
roll-cut radish. Cook for 30 minutes more, until both the beef and
radish are tender.
9. Serve the stew immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
From "Chinese Technique" by Ken Hom with Harvey Steiman. Simon and
Schuster, New York. 1981.
Posted by Stephen Ceideburg December 18 1990.
Servings: 6 servings
Chinese Beef Stew Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Asian; Chinese; Meat; Soup; Stew
The History of Recipes
Experts have traced the existence of recipes far back into history, certainly as far back as the ancient Egyptians, and possibly even further. Interesting though that is, generally, these early cookbooks were just very simple pictorial, hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for meal preparation.
Fascinatingly, the oldest recipe found, according to experts are a few clay tablets in Sumerian which show the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who drank it feel blissful. During the time of the Roman Empire a roman called Apicius wrote a number of documents describing recipes cooked by wealthy Romans. In his publication, he tells us how the roman meals were separated into hors d`oeuvres, main course and dessert, something that is very familiar to us today. He also informs us how the ancient chefs used many different spices, including a few that are still present in modern kitchens for example thyme, rue and parsley. As our culinary historical trip moves on a few more years we find two interesting books which date from the 1300s - a recipe book published under the title `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary titled `Curye on Inglish`. Despite their titles, these books are unconnected to the curry that appears on menues today, but rather recipes for the types of meals served to the nobility of the time. In the fifteenth century, people returning from the crusades brought back many spices and herbs from the East, including spices such as coriander, parsley, and rosemary. The introduction of these new culinary ideas caused a torrent in publications on food, some of which still exist in private collections. Over the following few hundred years, the powerful and rich houses competed with each other to serve the most exotic banquets, and as a result chefs and their recipes became highly prized. However, it wasn`t until the nineteenth century that fine cookery and recipe publications became really popular. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally famous Fannie Merritt Farmer in the USA, devoted their lives to collating, testing, and recording the recipes of their peers. By the arrival of the 20th century, cook books were in high demand, mostly due to increased literacy, more spare time and disposable income. The introduction of television gave us cooking programs and the accompanying recipe books. And that neatly brings us to the present day and the invention of the internet, permitting us all to access thousands of recipes like those on this recipe site. |
We hope you enjoy this Chinese Beef Stew recipe.
