Red-Cooked Beef

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef short ribs, or substitute 1 pound beef chuck or stew meat
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into 3 pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 pieces star anise
• 2 pieces dried tangerine peel
• 3 whole dried red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper (optional)
• 2 large red carrots, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
• Salt
• pepper