Ingredients
- *Marinade Ingredients:*
- 900 g 2lb braising steak (chuck steak)
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- *Stew Ingredients:*
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 banana shallots, roughly chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 4 large tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 625 ml | 2 ½ cups hot beef stock
- 450 g | 1lb butternut squash
- 1 tbsp cornflour /cornstarch
- Thai basil
- salt and pepper to season
Steps
- Combine the beef, lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, Chinese Spice, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Leave to marinate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 160C (325F) and have all your vegetables prepared.
- Put the oil in the casserole and heat over medium high heat. Sear the beef, in batches if necessary, until nicely browned.
- Add a splash of hot stock to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add the shallots and chillies and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, carrots, cinnamon stick, star anise, kaffir lime leaves and stock and bring slowly to a rolling simmer.
- Cover the casserole and transfer to the oven. Cook for an hour.
- Take the casserole dish out of the oven - careful it will be very hot! - and stir in the butternut squash.
- Return to the oven and cook for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour until meat is very tender.
- Stir the cornflour slurry into the stew and simmer for a couple of minutes on the hob to thicken the gravy.
- Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, star anise and kaffir lime leaves.
- Add some chopped basil leaves, check the seasoning and serve with crusty bread, or over rice..
- Marinate and brown the beef as instructed above then transfer to your slow cooker.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
- Add the cornflour slurry and cook on HIGH, uncovered, until the gravy thickens.
- Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, star anise and kaffir lime leaves.
- Add some chopped basil leaves, check the seasoning and serve with crusty bread, or over rice.
Notes
Unique, fantastic