This delicious aromatic beef stew is warming enough for a winter supper, yet smart and unusual enough for entertaining. The Vietnamese excel at subtle mixtures that are fragrant rather than spicy. Here, the fresh ginger, lemongrass, curry, and chilli powders blend during cooking into a rich brown sauce. You won’t believe the delicious, cinnamon-scented aroma that fills the room when you make this.
Recipe courtesy of "Allergy-Free Cookbook" by Alice Sherwood, copyright 2007. Used by permission of Dorling Kindersley Limited. All rights reserved.
| 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger | 1 large onion, chopped | |
| 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and very finely chopped | 3 garlic cloves, crushed | |
| 2 tsp mild curry paste or powder | 1 1/4 pints (750 ml) water | |
| 2 tsp ground cinnamon | 1 tsp salt | |
| 2 tsp light brown sugar | 2-4 star anise | |
| 4 tbsp tomato puree | freshly ground black pepper | |
| 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped | 2 carrots, cut into chunky pieces | |
| 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce | 2 potatoes, cut into chunky pieces | |
| 2 lb (900 g) lean stewing steak, cubed | 1 daikon or 2 small turnips, cut into chunky pieces | |
| 3 tbsp corn or other nut-free oil |
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the meat and toss with your hands to coat completely. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a flameproof casserole dish. Add the onions and garlic and fry, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from the dish with a draining spoon.
Heat the remaining oil in the dish. Add half the meat and brown quickly on all sides. Remove from the dish. Add the remaining meat and brown quickly. Return the rest of the meat, any remaining marinade, and the onions and garlic to the pan.
Stir in the water and add the salt and star anise. Add a good grinding of pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour.
Add the prepared vegetables and simmer gently until everything is tender, a further 30 minutes.
If necessary, remove the lid and boil the stew rapidly for 1–2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Taste and re-season if necessary. Serve straight from the pot.