Southeast Asian-style Braised Beef

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Ingredients:

• Beef, cut into small cubes. Can also use pork
• 1-2 slices of galangal?
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 a small shallot, chopped
• a few leaves of lemongrass?
• 1 chilli? chopped, more if you like it hot.
• Black pepper
• Five-spice powder, aka wu xiang fen. (See Spices)
• Good dark soy sauce. The thick thick, not so salty kind.

Method:

If the beef is a tougher cut, then pound it with the back of the knife to tenderize. Marinate with some black pepper, and a dash of five-spice powder.

Fry the garlic, shallots, galangal, chilli and lemon grass in a pot with a bit of oil. Then add in the beef and stir-fry till the beef is slightly browned. Add in the soy sauce, till the beef is nearly covered in it. If your pot is quite big, this may be too much soy sauce, so agarate... the saltiness of the sauce also varies from brand to brand. Let the sauce boil for a while, then lower to medium heat and cover, stirring occasionally.

If the sauce seems to be drying out, add some water. Cook for at least half an hour, longer if you want it to be more tender.

You can serve it with some coriander (aka cilantro) on top.