Slow Cooked Oriental Beef

Serves 4 - 6

1 tbsp. oil

 1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger

1 fresh red chilli

1 tsp. Chinese five spice powder

1 tsp. ground coriander

1kg Oving Dexter Diced Beef (any stewing or braising cut will do)

2 tbsp. flour

3 tbsp. Chinese cooking wine

500ml beef stock (made with a stock cube is fine)

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 bunch of spring onions

1 red pepper

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 150C, 300F, gas mark 2
2.  Peel and slice the onion and garlic, peel and chop the ginger, de-seed and finely chop the chilli. Add these to a flameproof casserole with the oil and fry gently for a couple of minutes over a medium heat.
3. Stir in the Chinese spice powder and the coriander and fry for a couple more minutes.
4. Turn up the heat slightly and add the diced beef. Move it around so it starts to brown on all sides, and then stir in the flour.
5. Add the cooking wine and keep stirring to incorporate any of the flour that has stuck to the bottom of the casserole.
6. Add the stock, soy sauce and oyster sauce, put a lid on it and bring it to the boil before transferring it to the oven for 2 -3 hours. The beef should melt in the mouth so the longer the better.
7. 45 minutes before the end of cooking time slice the spring onions, de-seed and chop the red pepper, add these to the casserole and stir well before returning it to the oven.

                Serve with rice or noodles