Richie’s beef brisket with egg noodles and greens

‘When I was learning how to cook Chinese food, this was my go-to recipe, so different from the European or American methods, but so delicious. This is a great winter dish but you can lighten it with lime so it’s good in warmer weather too.’

Richie Hughes, retail customer

Feeds: 6–8 | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 2½ hours
Special equipment: A large heavy-based saucepan, muslin (cheesecloth), kitchen string

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) piece beef brisket, fat trimmed, cut into 5 cm (2 in) cubes

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cm (¾ in) piece ginger, thinly sliced

2 small French shallots, finely chopped

2–3 tablespoons chu hou sauce (available from select supermarkets and Asian grocers)

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

400 ml (14 fl oz) beef or chicken stock

2 tablespoons rock sugar

1 daikon, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes

Cooked egg noodles, stir-fried greens, oyster sauce and sesame oil, to serve

Coriander (cilantro) leaves, sansho powder (optional; from select Asian grocers) and lime wedges, to serve

Spice mix

3 star anise

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 small chipotle chilli

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

For the spice mix, wrap all ingredients in a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and tie with kitchen string.

Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add beef in batches and fry, turning, for 8–10 minutes until well browned. Remove from pan. Add remaining oil to pan, reduce heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and shallots and fry, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until softened.

Return beef to pan and add chu hou sauce, soy sauce, stock and sugar. Stir to combine, add spice bag and simmer over medium–low heat for 1 hour. Taste braise and adjust sugar and salt to taste, then simmer, adding a little water if necessary, for a further 30 minutes or until meat is tender, but still has some texture. Add daikon and simmer for 30 minutes until tender.

Dress the egg noodles and greens with a little oyster sauce and sesame oil and divide among bowls. Spoon braise over, top with coriander and sansho powder and serve with lime wedges.