Red-Braised Beef Rice Bowl

Method

1. Cut the shank into 2 cm cubes. Put them in a 18 cm pot with cold water, bring to a boil over high heat and blanch for 3 min, then lift out the meat, rinse in cold water and discard the water.

   Add in this stepBeef shank (or brisket) 300 g

   high heat

2. Wipe the pot, add the oil and fry the ginger, garlic and white part of the green onion over medium heat, then add the chili bean paste and diced tomato; fry everything for 3 min in total, until the oil turns red and the tomato breaks down.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbspGinger (sliced) 15 gGarlic (whole cloves) 3Large green onion (white part) or leek 1Chili bean paste (doubanjiang) 1½ tbspTomato 1

   medium heat

3. Add the beef, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, star anise and water. Boil over high heat for 3 min, skimming off the foam, then turn down to low heat, cover and braise for 55 min. It is done when a chopstick slides in easily.

   Add in this stepSoy sauce 2½ tbspDark soy sauce (for colour) 1 tspRock sugar (or light brown sugar) 12 gShaoxing wine (or mirin) 2 tbspStar anise 1Water 600 ml

   high heat→low heat

4. While it braises, thinly slice the cucumber on the diagonal and toss with the rice vinegar, sugar and salt for the pickle. Leave for 15 min. The sharp pickle cuts through the rich beef.

   Add in this stepCucumber ½Rice vinegar 1 tbspSugar (for the pickle) 1 tspSalt (for the pickle) 1 pinch

5. Uncover, remove the ginger, green onion and star anise, turn up to medium-high heat and reduce for 8 min, until the liquid comes about halfway up the meat. Stir in the cornflour mixture and keep stirring until the sauce is thick and glossy. Lay the bok choy on top, cover and cook for 2 min.

   Add in this stepCornflour (mixed with the same amount of water) 1 tspBok choy (halved) 2

   medium-high heat

6. Heat a generous amount of the frying oil in a 20 cm frying pan over medium-high heat, crack in the eggs and fry for 2 min 30 sec, until the edges are brown and crisp and the yolks are still runny.

   Add in this stepCooking oil (for frying the eggs) 1 tbspEggs 2

   medium-high heat

7. Fill bowls with warm rice and spoon over plenty of beef and sauce. Add the bok choy, the squeezed-out cucumber pickle and a fried egg, and finish with sesame seeds and coriander. Break the yolk and mix it into the sauce as you eat.

   Add in this stepWarm cooked short-grain rice 400 gToasted white sesame seeds 1 tspCoriander leaves or spring onion to taste