Five spice beef cheek

Ingredients

Beef marinade

• Five spice powder: 1 tablespoon

• Ground black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon

• Ginger: 2 tablespoons, grated

• Orange juice: 1/2 cup

• Birds eye chilli: 1 - 2 chillies, sliced

• Brown sugar: 1/2 cup

• Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons

• Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon

• Black bean paste: 1 tablespoon

• Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon

Beef and sauce

• Beef cheek: 1kg

• Star anise: 3 pieces

• Chinese cooking wine: 1/4 cup

• Chicken stock: 2 cups (real or powder is fine)

• Corn starch: 2 tablespoons

To serve

• Rice

• Steamed carrots

• Spring onions, sliced

Method

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together (five spice, pepper, ginger, orange juice, chilli, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, black bean paste, cinnamon)

2. Place beef cheek in a heavy based tray and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Leave in the fridge over night.

3. Take meat out of the fridge and leave at room temperature for 2 hours. 

4. Add star anise, Chinese cooking wine and chicken stock to the meat and marinade. Mix well.

5. Bake covered in foil for 2 hours at 180C. Once cooked, set aside for 10 minutes to let the meat rest, then slice. Strain the remaining marinade into a saucepan, and bring to the boil. Mix the corn starch with cold water to form a slurry and add to the remaining sauce whilst stirring to thicken into a sauce.

6. Plate on a bed of steam carrots, top with spring onions and serve with fresh steamed rice and the sauce.