Chinese Style Beef Stew is a reminiscent of the well loved Filipino Beef Pares. It has similar ingredients but made extra flavorful with the addition of shiitake mushrooms and Bok choy.
This is the first time I made this recipe and I’m a bit hesitant to the amount of Chinese spices I will add to this dish. From what I observed from our family, they don’t like the strong flavor of star anise and specially the Chinese Five Spice Powder. However, these are essential ingredients for this dish so I added the minimum amount to flavor this dish. Minimum enough to flavor the dish and yet not too over powering.
Of all the dishes from around the world, I would say that Chinese, Japanese and Korean are my favorites. They have those familiar flavors that we Filipinos are used too. That is savory and a hint of sweetness.
Tips
Not everyone likes the taste of star anise and specially the Chinese Five Spice powder. Well, that is true for my mom. However, these ingredients what gives this dish that distinct Chinese flavor. A piece of star anise and a 8th teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice Powder is enough to give that distinct flavor. However, feel free to add more to your preferred taste.
For this Chinese style beef stew I did not add anymore salt since I find the combination of dark and light soy sauce to be enough. What I did is to reduce the sauce until I achieved the desired saltiness. If you like more sauce you probably need to season it with salt.
For more beef recipes grab your recipes at my Beef Dishes.
Ingredients
| 500 grams | Beef Tenderloin, cut into cubes |
| 3 Tablespoons | Cornstarch |
| 4 Tablespoons | Olive Oil |
| 1 piece | Star Anise |
| 1/8 teaspoon | Chinese Five Spice Powder |
| 1 piece | Thumb – sized Ginger, thinly sliced |
| 8 cloves | Garlic, chopped |
| 1 bulb | Onion, chopped |
| 1 piece | Beef Bouillon Cube |
| 1 piece | 155 gram Canned Shiitake Mushrooms, reserved the syrup |
| 3 Tablespoons | Dark Soy Sauce |
| 3 Tablespoons | Light Soy Sauce |
| 2 Tablespoons | Brown Sugar |
| 1/4 teaspoon | Ground Black Pepper |
| 2 – 3 cups | Water |
| Bok Choy, blanched |
Procedure
Thoroughly clean the beef and pat dry.
Add Cornstarch and mix until the beef is covered with cornstarch.
Heat olive oil and fry the beef until brown and set a side.
Add star anise, Chinese Five Spice Powder and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Add garlic and onion and sauté until cooked.
Add in the beef, beef bouillon cube, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, brown sugar and ground black pepper. Stir fry from 3 minutes.
Combine the syrup from the canned shiitake mushroom and water to make 2 cups of solution. Add the solution into the stir fried mixture. Boil and simmer until the beef is tender. Add more water if needed. Season with salt if needed.
Garnish with Bok Choy.
Chinese Style Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 500 grams Beef Tenderloin, cut into cubes
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 piece Star Anise
- 1/8 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
- 1 piece Thumb – sized Ginger, thinly sliced
- 8 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1 bulb Onion, chopped
- 1 piece Beef Bouillon Cube
- 1 piece 155 gram Canned Shiitake Mushrooms reserved syrup
- 3 Tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2-3 cups Water
- Bok choy, blanched
Instructions
- Thoroughly clean the beef and pat dry.
- Add Cornstarch and mix until the beef is covered with cornstarch.
- Heat olive oil and fry the beef until brown and set a side.
- Add star anise, Chinese Five Spice Powder and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and onion and sauté until cooked.
- Add in the beef, beef bouillon cube, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, brown sugar and ground black pepper. Stir fry from 3 minutes.
- Combine the syrup from the canned shiitake mushroom and water to make 2 cups of solution. Add the solution into the stir fried mixture. Boil and simmer until the beef is tender. Add more water if needed. Season with salt if needed.
- Garnish with Bok Choy.
