Sichuan Braised Beef Slices (Wu Xiang Niu Rou)

Ingredients

• 1 small boneless beef shin (about 800gm)
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• To serve: roasted sesame seeds and coriander
• Master stock
• 3 litres chicken stock (12 cups)
• 20 gm ginger, finely chopped
• 1½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp dried aromatic ginger pieces (see note)
• ½ tsp whole cloves
• 4 dried small red chillies
• 4 star anise
• 2 black cardamom pods
• 1 cassia bark quill
• 1 piece dried mandarin peel
• 1 spring onion, cut into 3cm lengths
• 100 gm caster sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 20 ml Shaoxing wine
• ¾ tsp ground white pepper