How to Make Nutritious and Delicious Herbal Beef Stew with Authentic Flavor

How to Prepare Herbal Beef

• 1

  Prepare Chicken Feet and Beef

  For the chicken feet, after purchasing, remove the outer membrane, scrub them clean with salt, then rinse thoroughly with water and let them drain. Use a knife to cut off the toenails, then chop the chicken feet in half horizontally.

  For the beef, after purchasing, use a knife to trim off any excess fat (if any), then scrub it clean with a little salt. After that, rinse it several times with water and let it drain.

  Boil a pot of water on the stove, then add 1 dried cardamom and 2 star anise pieces, cooking for another 5 minutes. After that, add the beef and chicken feet, blanching them until the water boils again, then remove and rinse briefly with cold water and let drain.

  How to Clean Chicken Feet, Reduce Odor:

  • To eliminate the fishy smell of chicken feet, after purchasing, you can rub them with salt, then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
  • After cleaning, you can also soak the chicken feet in diluted lemon juice to remove any lingering odors.
  • Alternatively, you can soak them in water mixed with 15 grams of baking soda and 15ml of rice vinegar for about 15 – 20 minutes. This soaking will remove any remaining dirt and help the chicken feet soften faster when cooked.

  How to Clean Beef, Reduce Odor

  • Method 1: Soak the beef in white wine for 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
  • Method 2: Heat a pot of water to about 50 degrees, then add the beef to the pot for about 3 – 5 minutes, then remove it.
  • Method 3: Use lemon or vinegar to rub on the piece of meat for 5 – 7 minutes, then rinse with clean water.
  • Method 4: Use a roasted ginger root, mash it, and rub it on the beef, then rinse with clean water.

  See details: Effective Tips for Eliminating the Smell of Beef

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Boil the beef

  Place a pot on the stove, add 1 liter of filtered water, 1 dried cardamom, 2 pieces of star anise previously removed, and the beef into the pot. Proceed to boil the beef over high heat until the water boils.

  Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and skim off the foam. Then add 1 tablespoon of salt to the pot, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes until the beef is tender.

  Tip:

  • You should frequently skim off the foam to keep the broth clear and more aesthetically pleasing.
  • You can use a chopstick to test the meat; if it pierces easily, the meat is tender and ready for the next cooking step.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Prepare other ingredients

  To clean off dirt, when buying lotus root, you should use a brush to scrub the outer skin clean, then rinse with water.

  Use a knife to slice the lotus root into thin slices about 1/2 finger thick. To prevent the lotus root from browning, after cutting, you need to immediately place it in salt water and soak until you are ready to cook.

  How to prepare lotus root without browning

  In addition to soaking in salt water, you can also use the following methods:

  • Method 1: Soak the lotus root in rice washing water, as the starch in the rice washing water can help absorb dirt and remove mud and sap from the lotus root.
  • Method 2: Soak in water mixed with a bit of vinegar.
  • Method 3: Soak in lemon juice.

  For lotus seeds, you should remove the shell, discard the core, and rinse thoroughly to avoid bitterness if any core remains. For fresh lotus seeds, you should not soak them in water, as it will cause the seeds to become hard and chewy, making them less tasty.

  Tip: You can use dried lotus seeds as desired, but before cooking, soak them in water for about 7 – 8 hours to allow them to expand evenly and not become hard, then rinse thoroughly with water.

  Goji berries, jujubes, and Chinese yam should be soaked in water for about 15 – 20 minutes to soften.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Cooking the dish

  Remove all cardamom and star anise from the pot of boiling beef.

  Then add 1 liter of filtered water, chicken feet, lotus root, jujube, lotus seeds, and all the herbal stew spices except goji berries (including: 4 pieces of Chinese yam, 2g of dang shen, 2g of du zhong, 1 piece of astragalus, 1 piece of white angelica, 1 piece of jade bamboo, 2g of xuan kong, 1 piece of rehmannia) into the pot and bring to a boil.

  Tip: Because goji berries cook very quickly and become mushy, you should add them in the last stage to avoid them becoming mushy and less tasty.

  After the broth boils, add 2 tablespoons of rock sugar to the pot. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for about 30 more minutes for the ingredients to soften. Next, add the goji berries and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

  Then add 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of rock sugar, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, then season to taste and turn off the heat.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  Remove the beef, let it cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the beef, chicken feet, lotus root, and the herbal spices in a bowl, then add the broth and garnish for an appealing presentation to complete the dish.

  Delicious and nutritious herbal beef stew with a sweet and clear broth, tender and flavorful beef, chewy chicken feet served with lotus root and creamy lotus seeds that stimulate the palate immensely. With a simple cooking method, without any fuss, but incredibly nutritious, suitable for pregnant women and young children. Try your hand at making this dish for your family to enjoy!