Ingredients
- 2½ tablespoons chopped palm sugar (jaggery)
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) fish sauce
- 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz) gravy beef or chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 4 cm (1½ inch) chunks
- plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) peanut oil
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 cm (1¼ inch) knob of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 3 carrots, sliced into 5 mm (¼ inch) rounds
- 60 g (2¼ oz/¼ cup) tomato paste (concentrated purée)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 small dried red chillies
- 1 lemongrass stem, trimmed and bruised
- 600 ml (21 fl oz) beef stock
- 6 baby bok choy (pak choy), ends trimmed and leaves separated
- 50 g (1¾ oz/⅓ cup) roasted peanuts (optional)
- crusty baguette, to serve
Method
1. Put the palm sugar, five-spice and 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the beef and toss to coat well, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Drain the beef well, discarding the marinade. Lightly dust with the flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a large, heavy-based flameproof casserole dish or heavy-based saucepan to medium–high. Add the beef, onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the meat is sealed all over and the onion has softened. Add the carrot, remaining fish sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce, spices, lemongrass and stock.
4. Bring the mixture slowly to a simmer, skimming off any froth that rises to the surface. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender.
5. Discard the lemongrass, then add the bok choy. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes, or until the bok choy is tender.
6. Divide the bok choy and stew among warm deep bowls, scatter with the peanuts, if using, and serve with a sliced crusty baguette.
