「Tomato Beef Brisket」

Ingredients and amounts

• 3-4 tomatoes (about 200g each)
• 500g beef brisket
• 20-30ml cooking oil
• 2 scallion sections (2cm each), 2 slices ginger, 1 star anise, 5-10ml cooking wine or yellow wine
• Salt, sugar, light soy sauce (to taste)
• Chopped scallion for garnish

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Cut the beef brisket into 2cm cubes. Blanch in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes to remove blood. Drain and rinse.

2. 2

   Step 2

   In another pot, bring 2L of water to a boil. Add scallion sections, ginger slices, star anise, cooking wine, and the blanched beef. Cover and simmer (1 hour in a clay pot, or 45 minutes in a pressure cooker on stew mode) until the beef is tender enough to be pierced easily with a chopstick.

3. 3

   Step 3

   To peel the tomatoes: Score a cross on the top of each tomato. Insert a fork or knife through the stem end. Hold over a low gas flame, turning constantly, until the skin blisters. Peel off the skin and cut the tomatoes into small pieces.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat until 70% hot. Add 10g each of sliced ginger and scallion, then add the tomatoes. Stir-fry until the tomatoes break down and release their red color.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Add the cooked beef brisket and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to just cover the beef. Season with salt, sugar, and light soy sauce to taste. Cover and bring to a boil.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Uncover and cook over high heat for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a medium consistency.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped scallion, and serve.