柱侯萝卜焖牛腩 Braised Beef Brisket with Daikon

As I've mentioned I adore baked pork chop rice from the local HongKong Cafe, the 2nd choice will be the Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle! But is rather not economical to have it frequently at the cafes as the portion served is not worth it for the price paid >.< So is time to whip up one at home! This is my first time cooking a Chinese style braised beef and it is not as complicated as I thought, just need some organising (to gather up all the ingredients) and patience (the stew needs to sit for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight for it to be tender enough) :D 

The wait is worthwhile....it taste so so GOOD that I've it for two straight days for lunch and dinner hahaha....I can't possibly polish up the whole big pot of braised beef right? Nice food must share yah, so I've packed some for my sister and some to my inlaw's house during our weekly dinner ;) Try cooking this dish for your family and am sure they will give double thumbs up! 

Wobbly and melts-in-the mouth beef tendon!

Wholesome pot of braised beef waiting to sit for overnight before it can be served!

Recipe source : Travelling Foodies

Ingredients (10 servings)

• 1kg beef brisket (I've used beef shin)
• 500gm beef tendon
• 800gm white radish
• Chicken Stock to immerse all the ingredients (used 1 cube non MSG chicken bouillon cube)
• 100gm old ginger
• 5 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic

Spices

• 2 licorice slice
• 1 cardomon
• 1 dried tangerine peel, softened
• 1 cassia bark stick
• 1 star anise
• 1/2 tsp white peppercorn
• 2 blades bay leaf
• 1/3 tsp szechuan peppercorn

Condiments & Flavouring

• 100gm Chu Hou sauce 柱候醬
• 2 pieces red fermented bean curd 红南乳
• 5gm five spice powder 五香粉
• 2 heap tbsp sugar 白糖
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce 生抽
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 酱油
• 100ml fen jiu 汾酒 (or replaced with shoaxing wine)

Beef Tendon & Beef Shin

Method

1. Trim away all visible fat on beef shin and beef tendon. Cut them into large cubes.
2. Peel white radish and cut into cubes
3. Cut ginger (retained skin) into thick slices. Finely chopped shallots and garlic.
4. With a dry saucepan, lightly pan sear the beef on both sides until the surface begins to brown a little. Dish out and set aside. Do likewise for the beef tendon.
5. Add oil in a wok, stir fry shallots, garlic and ginger until aromatic.
6. Return the beef and tendon chunks into the wok and all all the condiments and flavorings (except sugar & wine). Mix well before adding in the spices ingredients. 
7. Add enough water along with the bouillon cube to immerse everything. Bring to boil and add the sugar and wine. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10mins.
8. Transfer the mixture into a casserole and add more water to cover the contents if necessary.
9. Continue to simmer for 1 hour or until soften. Add white radish and bring to boil again. Cover and cook for another 30mins. Turn off heat and let everything sit for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
10. The next day, check that the white radish and beef tendon has become soft and tender. Transfer adequate amount of stew into a clay pot and bring to boil again.
11. Serve immediately with steamed rice or blanched chinese egg noodles.

Fantastic Set Meal ^0^....I cooked a pot of Old Cucumber Soup + a plate of blanched Kai Lan to go along with the braised beef brisket, not worrying the body will be over 'heaty' after this hearty meal ^0^

Old Cucumber Soup....recipe adapted from Noobcook.com

Blanched Kai Lan with Oyster Sauce

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest ( Hong Kong + Macau ) – Jan+Feb Month hosted by Annie of Annielicious Food