Not long ago, as part of a company lunch, we were asked to bring a dish each, I went home and asked mum (as you do in these situations), she, in turn, made her signature dish and one of my favourite – Chinese soy braised beef. Everyone at work loved it and asked for the recipe. Once again, thanks to mum it is a dish that is not only tasty but as it turned out it was also easy to make, with only a handful of ingredients. Best of all, it can be prepared in advance and served either at room temperature or as a cold dish.

Chinese Soy Braised Beef

Ingredients 

- 1kg beef shank              
- 2 red onions, sliced        
- 2~3 slices of ginger
- 1 star anise
- 1½ tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 10~15g rock sugar*
- pinch of salt

*Rock sugar is used in Chinese braised dishes as it caramelises well and adds a mild sweetness to the dish. It is just crystallised sugar that is pale yellow in colour and comes in large, irregular chunks. If you aren't able to find rock sugar, any regular granular sugar will do.

Soy braised beef - ingredients.

Instructions

1. Rinse meat and then in a large pan/wok, add cooking oil and lightly sear meat over medium heat.
2. Add cold water til meat is submerged. Add dark soy sauce, soy sauce, ginger, star anise and a pinch of taste. Bring to boil.

3. Add onions and rock sugar. Cook over high heat for 10mins. Then lower heat and gently simmer for 1hr with the lid on.  

4. Remove lid and reduce remaining sauce over high heat. Keep basting the meat in the sauce.

5. Set aside to cool before slicing and serving,

3. Adding the onions and rock sugar.

4. Reduce the sauce and basting the beef.

There you have it!. Chinese soy braised beef. Accompanied with some rice and greens, there's a meal. Delicious! If you have any recipes that you would like to share, drop me a comment.

Happy Cooking!