Asian Beef & Vegetable Casserole - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 kg casserole beef steaks, cut into 4cm pieces (such as chuck steak or gravy beef)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onions (for Americans) or 1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced (for Australians)
3 carrots, peeled, cut into 2cm-thick slices
4 whole star anise
4 cm fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, pale section only, halved
500 ml beef stock
125 ml brandy
90 g tomato paste
300 g green beans, topped
fresh coriander leaves, to serve
steamed rice, to serve

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180\u00b0C/350\u00b0-375\u00b0F/4-5 gas mark; place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper, add the beef and toss to coat; shake off any excess.
Heat half the oil in a 4L (16-cup) capacity flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish over a medium heat; add half the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until brown; transfer the cooked beef pieces to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and beef, reheating the dish between batches.
Add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft; add the star anise, ginger and lemon grass, and stir to combine.
Add the beef, stock, brandy and tomato paste to the dish; cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is tender.
Meanwhile, cook the beans in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until they are bright green and tender crisp; drain.
Add the beans to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
Top the beef mixture with coriander and serve with steamed rice.
FREEZING TIPS: Cool at the end of step 6; transfer to an airtight container; lbel, date and freeze for up to three months; thaw in the fridge overnight; reheat the oven to 180\u00b0C (see above for conversions); reheat and continue from step 7.