Chinese-Style Braised Beef One-Pot - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh gingerroot, peeled and shredded
6 scallions, sliced
1 red chili pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced (use more if you lite it spicy)
3 lbs stewing beef, cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, well seasoned with salt and pepper
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
2 star anise (optional)
2 teaspoons light brown sugar (or use whatever you've got)
3 tablespoons Chinese wine or 3 tablespoons dry sherry
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce, plus more to serve
2 cups beef broth

Preparation

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, shallow casserole.
Fry the garlic, ginger, scallions and chili for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Tip onto a plate. Toss the beef in the flour, add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding more oil if you need to. It should take about 5 mins to brown each batch properly.
Add the five-spice and star anise (if using) to the pan, tip in the gingery mix, then fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant.
Add the sugar, then the beef and stir until combined. Keep the heat high, then splash in the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits. Heat oven to 300\u00b0F
Pour in the soy and broth (it won't cover the meat completely), bring to a simmer, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 11/2-2 hrs, stirring the meat halfway through.
The meat should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away. Season with more soy.
This can now be chilled and frozen for up to 1 month.
Serve with steamed bok choy and white rice.