Szechwan Spiced Beef Stew

Ingredients

6 gr ginger root
34 gr scallions
550 gr stew meat
1/4 chunks
90 ml oil
8 gr garlic
700 ml water
26 ml szechwan chili bean sauce
60 ml pale dry sherry
4 gr peppercorns
4 star anise
38 ml szechwan sweet bean sauce
60 ml black soy sauce
8 gr sugar

Instructions

COMBINE SAUCE INGREDIENTS, SET ASIDE. HEAT OIL IN A 4 TO 6 litre POT. ADD GINGER, GARLIC, AND SCALLIONS, AND COOK FOR A FEW SECONDS. ADD BEEF AND COOK UNTIL MEAT LOSES ITS RED COLOR. STIR IN SAUCE AND MIX WELL. ADD 2 C. WATER, COVER, AND SIMMER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. ADD REMAINING WATER AND COOK OVER LOW HEAT UNTIL BEEF IS TENDER, ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR. THERE SHOULD BE 1.5 CUPS OF SAUCE LEFT IN THE POT WHEN BEEF IS DONE. SERVE HOT!!! THE PREPARATION TIME IS THE WORSE PART, BUT ITS WORTH IT. MOST OF THE INGREDIENTS CAN BE FOUND AT A NEIGHBORHOOD ASIAN OR CHINESE STORE.