Chinese braised lamb or beef

  • For eight portions
  • 4 tbsp tasteless oil- I used rapeseed
  • 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 thumbsized piece of fresh ginger peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks
  • 2 red onions halved and sliced
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and sliced fine
  • 1.5kg lamb neck fillets in bite size pieces or ox cheek beef.
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 teasp chinese five spice powder
  • 2 teasp sugar
  • 3 tbsp chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
  • 3 tbsp dark soy
  • 500ml beef stock

Heat half the oil in a large casserole dish. Fry the onions garlic ginger and chilli for a minute or two until softened.Tip onto a plate.
Toss the lamb in the flour and fry in batches until browned using the rest of the oil.Put aside on a plate.
Add five spice and ginger mix to pan and stir then add sugar, lamb and wine ,scraping up any meaty bits.
Pour in soy and stock, bring to a simmer. cover tightly and place in fan oven at 130 for three hours stirring halfway.

Serve with boiled rice and steamed greens. Tenderstem broccoli is real nice with this dish