PREP: 20 MINS
COOK: 3 HRS, 30 MINS
MORE EFFORT
SERVES 8
Make this beef stew when the nights draw in. With aubergine and Chinese spices, the flavours are warming and it's slow-cooked for deliciously tender meat

Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: Per serving
kcal 389,fat 20g,saturates 7g,carbs10g,sugars 8g
fibre 2g,protein 38g,salt 4.3g
#Ingredients.
5 star anise

1 cinnamon stick
3 tbsp sunflower oil

2kg braising steak

(shin is best), cut into large chunks
1l chicken stock
3 red chillies, split in two and deseeded, plus extra sliced into rounds to serve
100g galangal (use ginger if you can’t find galangal), sliced
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
200ml soy sauce

1 tbsp demerara sugar
6 kaffir lime leaves
3 aubergines, cut into wedges rice and coriander, to serve
#Method
1.Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Heat a large casserole dish, toast the star anise and cinnamon until fragrant, then scoop out of the dish. Add the oil, then brown the beef in batches (be careful not to overcrowd the pan). Set the meat aside on a plate.
2.Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the aubergine) to the casserole dish, stir well and bring to the boil. Add the spices and meat back in, skim off any fat that comes to the surface, then cover the casserole and cook in the oven for 2 hrs.
3.Remove the lid, add the aubergine, and give everything a good stir, then return to the oven and cook for 1 hr uncovered until the aubergine and meat are tender. Rest until cool enough to eat. Scatter over the coriander and sliced red chilli, then serve with rice.