Pork Stew With Star Anise Food

DONNA'S CHINESE SIMMERED STAR ANISE PORK

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add ginger, and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, and star anise; bring to a simmer. Add pork, and cover. Cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
• Remove pork, and keep warm. Allow sauce to simmer until reduced and thickened. Cut pork into 1-inch slices. Spoon sauce over pork, and serve with steamed rice and bok choy.

GRANDMA'S HONG SHAU ROU (RED BRAISED PORK)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil; add pork belly. Cook until pork belly softens, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool pork until easily handled, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 2-inch chunks.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add cinnamon stick and star anise; fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in pork belly, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. Reduce heat to very low and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding water if sauce reduces too quickly, until pork is tender, about 50 minutes.
• Increase heat slightly and continue simmering until sauce reduces to a sticky consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and star anise; discard.

BEEF STEW WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Pour the stock into a large, heavy pan. Add the beef, garlic, chopped coriander roots, cinnamon sticks, star anise, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Skim off any form that rises to the surface of the liquid with a slotted spoon.
• Meanwhile, divide the bean sprouts among four individual serving bowls. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and star anise from the stew with a slotted spoon.
• Ladle the stew over the bean sprouts, garnish with the chopped scallions and chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) and serve immediately.

CHINESE BEEF OR PORK STEW (RED COOKED MEAT)

Steps:

• *Staranise comes in the form of an eight point star.
• ,each point having an anise seed in it.
• Most of them are broken up so use a total of eight points, more or less, to taste.
• **Theorange (or tangerine) peel has a slightly bitter taste that I like better with beef but this is personal taste.
• It comes in plastic bags and has a long shelf life.
• Start by browning the meat in a few T of oil.
• Do it in batches so it gets well caramelized.
• When the last of the meat is well browned, remove it all to a bowl.
• (Add more oil as needed).
• Add the onion, garlic, ginger, anise, orange peel and chiles to the wok (or pot); keep cooking, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown.
• Stir in the meat along with the sauce, bring it to a full boil, stir well and reduce heat to simmer.
• Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour (pork) or 2 hours (beef).
• Adjust seasonings, add the vegetables and simmer, covered for another half hour.
• Before serving, remove all the pieces of ginger, star anise, orange peel, chile, etc.
• Serve with steamed rice or boiled noodles.

PORK SHANK WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Put the pork into a mixing bowl, and pour the soy sauce over it. Turn the meat in the soy sauce and let it stand at least one hour.
• Heat the 3 cups of oil in a wok or skillet over high heat and add the meat. Set the soy sauce aside. Cook the meat, turning in the oil and spooning the oil over, about 3 or 4 minutes until nicely browned.
• Transfer the meat to a heat-proof casserole, preferably one made of clay or earthenware. Pour over it the reserved soy sauce, and add the sugar, wine, star anise and 6 cups of the water. Cover tightly and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat about 1 1/2 hours. Turn the pork often as it cooks. Lift the lid of the pot and partly cover.
• Continue cooking about 30 minutes, and add about 4 more cups of water. Partly cover and continue cooking about 1 1/2 hours. To test for doneness, insert a chopstick inside the meaty part of the shank. If it pierces evenly, the meat is done. Otherwise, continue cooking up to 30 minutes longer or until done.
• If the spinach is sandy, rinse well and drain.
• Heat remaining two tablespoons of oil in a wok or skillet and add the spinach. Cook, stirring, about 90 seconds, turning the spinach over and over until totally wilted.
• Arrange the spinach on a serving dish. Arrange the pork shank on top in the center. Spoon the sauce over. Cut the meat into individual portions and serve

CHINESE-STYLE BRAISED BEEF ONE-POT

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, shallow casserole. Fry the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Tip onto a plate. Toss the beef in the flour, add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding the final tbsp oil if you need to. It should take about 5 mins to brown each batch properly.
• Add the five-spice and star anise (if using) to the pan, tip in the gingery mix, then fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant. Add the sugar, then the beef and stir until combined. Keep the heat high, then splash in the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
• Pour in the soy and stock (it won't cover the meat completely), bring to a simmer, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 1½-2 hrs, stirring the meat halfway through. The meat should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away. Season with more soy. This can now be chilled and frozen for up to 1 month.
• Nestle the cooked bok choi into the pan, then bring to the table with the basmati rice straight away and tuck in.