Chinese Braised Beef with Potatoes and Doubanjiang

Braised Beef with Potatoes

Step 1: Prep and Blanch Beef [00:04]

• Cut the beef into 2 cm cubes.
• Boil water in a wok, add the beef and a splash of cooking wine to blanch it, removing any excess blood and odor. Drain well and set aside.

Step 2: Prep Vegetables [00:18]

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized chunks.
• Slice the red bell pepper.
• Finely chop the ginger and garlic.

Step 3: Stir-fry Aromatics and Beef [01:08]

• Heat a clean wok with some oil to coat the sides, then pour out the excess and add a little fresh oil.
• At 50% heat, stir-fry the ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies.
• Add the blanched beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes over medium-low heat until fragrant.

Step 4: Season and Braise [01:36]

• Pour 15g of cooking wine into the pan. Add the 15g of doubanjiang and stir-fry until it releases its red oil.
• Add 5g of oyster sauce and 2g of sugar. Stir well.
• Add water until the beef is covered by about 4 cm. Bring to a boil.
• Add 3g of soy sauce, a pinch of thirteen-spice powder, and the green onion stalks. Cover and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes.

Step 5: Add Potatoes and Finish [02:25]

• Remove the green onions. Add the prepared potatoes to the wok.
• Cover and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
• Add salt, white sugar, chicken essence, and pepper powder to taste.
• Add the red bell pepper slices and simmer for 2 more minutes to thicken the sauce.
• Finish with a drizzle of vegetable oil for shine, stir, and serve with a garnish of chopped green onions.