Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 500g beef shanks, cut into chunks
• 3 carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped 
• 3 star anise
• 3 lemon grass stalk, bruised the white part
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2tbsp minced ginger
• 2tbsp tomato paste
• 4 crushed garlic cloves
• Basil leaves
• 3tbsp fish sauce
• 1tsp chinese 5 spices
• Salt, sugar, pepper
• Water, olive oil

Method
- In a large bowl, marinate the beef with 2tbsp sugar, fish sauce, ginger, garlic and chinese 5 spices and set aside or cover and refrigerate it for 30-45 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large pot, fry the onions and garlic until fragrant. Add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and cook until soft, then add the beef, lemon grass, star anise and cinnamon, stir the beef well and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Add water to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer it under cover for 1.5 hours or until the beef is tender (To save time, pressure cook the beef until the whistle goes off 6 times).
- Add the carrots and cook for 30 minutes or until soft. If the stew is too chunky, add a bit more water, or if it's too watery then simmer longer.
- Season the stew well with salt or fish sauce and pepper.
- Serve with rice noodles or bread and garnish it with parsley or basil leaves.

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