POT ROAST BEEF

Serves 6–8

Pot roast beef is a chunk of beef knuckle, slowly roasted in a pot. The beef may take a long time to cook, but the result is worth the wait. Due to the long cooking process, this dish is typically reserved for special occasions such as Christmas and New Year.

Beef knuckle 2 kg (4 lb 6 oz)
Cooking oil 100 ml (3½ fl oz)
Onion 1, peeled and sliced
Beef stock cubes 2
Black peppercorns 3 Tbsp, coarsely ground
Water 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups)
Baby carrots 300 g (11 oz)
Baby potatoes 300 g (11 oz)
Canned button mushrooms 325 g (11⅔ oz)

Ground Paste

Onions 800 g (1¾ lb)
Dark soy sauce 6 Tbsp
Ground black pepper 5 Tbsp
Sugar 2 Tbsp

1.   Pound or grind together ingredients for ground paste until fine.

2.   Rub beef knuckle with 10 Tbsp ground paste and set aside for 1 hour.

3.   Heat oil in a pot and sear marinated beef on all sides. Remove and set aside.

4.   Reheat pot and fry onion until soft. Add remaining ground paste and fry until
fragrant. Add beef stock cubes, ground peppercorns and water and bring to boil.

5.   Add beef to pot and return to boil. Cover pot with a lid and simmer over
low heat for 1½ hours, turning beef over every 20 minutes or so.

6.   Add carrots, potatoes and mushrooms and continue boiling for another
20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

7.   Remove beef and slice thinly. Arrange on serving plates and ladle gravy over
beef. Serve carrots, potatoes and mushrooms on the side.

NOTE

•  If desired, a can of cola may be added to the ground paste instead of sugar. The cola
will not only add sweetness to the dish, but also help tenderise the beef as it cooks.

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EURASIAN HERITAGE

Cooking