Hongwei Beef

Ingredients:

1000g beef,

Seasonings:

1g cinnamon, slices of ginger, garlic sprouts, soy sauce,

MSG, sesame oil, sugar, scallion segments, star anise,

(liao jiu - rice wine), pepper, salt, oil,

Instructions:

1Rinse the beef thoroughly with cold water and cut into four large pieces. Boil in a pot until 80% cooked, then remove and rinse with cold water once. Cut into pieces 4cm long, 2cm wide, and 1cm thick. Cut garlic sprouts into segments.

2Heat oil in a wok. Add the beef and stir-fry until the surface water dries out. Add rice wine and soy sauce, and continue to stir-fry for a few minutes before taking the beef out of the wok. Place a large clay pot on a bamboo grate. Arrange the stir-fried beef on the bamboo grate, add scallion segments, ginger slices, cinnamon, star anise, sugar, and salt. Add beef bone broth (just enough to cover the beef) and cover with a porcelain plate. Bring to a boil over low heat and continue to simmer until the beef is tender and crumbly.

3Remove the scallions, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise from the beef. Transfer the beef and broth to a wok. Add garlic sprouts, MSG, and pepper. Bring to a boil and thicken with cornstarch slurry. Drizzle with sesame oil to serve. The beef is tender, crumbly, flavorful, and rich in gravy.

Tips:

1The beef must be thoroughly rinsed to remove impurities and reduce the fishy smell. A blanching step is crucial.

2Carefully control the heat to prevent the meat from falling apart and losing its shape.

3Reduce the gravy to a concentrated state before thickening with cornstarch slurry.