Simple way to make beef stew with shiitake mushrooms at home

How to Cook Braised Meat with Shiitake Mushrooms

• 1

  Prepare Ingredients

  You need to peel the shallots, 5 cloves of garlic, 1 piece of ginger, and 2 carrots by removing the ends and scraping off the skin. Next, take 1 stalk of green onion and trim off the roots. Then wash the prepared ingredients thoroughly with clean water multiple times.

  Dried shiitake mushrooms should be soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, then cut off the stems and wash them again with water. Cut a bit of lemon peel from the prepared lemon.

  Properly Soaking Dried Shiitake Mushrooms:

  • Blanch the mushrooms in boiling water for about 3 minutes to remove dirt, then take them out to drain.
  • You can soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 1 – 2 minutes. After that, rinse with cold water and cut off the mushroom stems to clean them.
  • Use rice washing water to reduce the pungent smell of the mushrooms and help retain their unique flavor.
  • After peeling off the dirt, soak the mushrooms in diluted salt water for 2 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.

  

  
• 2

  Sauté the Ingredients

  Put a pan on the stove, turn on low heat to warm the pan. When the pan is hot, add shallots, garlic, ginger, and green onions and sauté for about 15 – 20 minutes. Sauté until the ingredients are slightly charred on the surface. To prevent the ingredients from burning, make sure to stir evenly with chopsticks.

  After sautéing, turn off the heat and set the pan aside to let the ingredients cool.

  Tip: Sautéing the ingredients first will help enhance their aroma, making the broth more fragrant.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Cutting and Marinating the Meat

  First, wash 1kg of beef thoroughly with water, then cut it into square chunks or bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl.

  To remove the odor from the beef, add 15g of sliced ginger. Use chopsticks to mix the beef and ginger well, then let it marinate for about 15 minutes.

  Tip: For stews, you should not marinate or season the meat beforehand. When the beef absorbs the seasoning and you stew it, the seasoning will dissolve in the stew liquid, losing the flavor of the dish.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Beef Stew

  Place a pot on the stove, turn on medium heat to warm the pan. Once the pot is hot, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Next, add the lightly sautéed scallions into the pot.

  Sauté the scallions until fragrant, then add the mixture of beef and ginger to stir-fry. Stir-fry until the surface of the beef pieces is seared.

  Then, add 1.5 liters of water to the pot. At this point, turn up the heat to bring the water to a boil. When the water boils, skim off the foam and simmer for about 1 hour.

  Tip: To keep the broth clear and free of impurities, remember to remove some of the scallions and ginger before adding water. Also, when the water boils, foam will usually appear, so be sure to skim it off to keep the broth clear.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Completion

  To enhance the flavor of the broth, you use a knife to smash the sautéed ingredients and add a little lemon zest.

  For the 2 carrots, cut them into 4 pieces about 2 finger lengths long. Then, carve the carrots into 5-petal flowers.

  After 30 minutes of simmering, open the lid and add 2 teaspoons of seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of sugar.

  Then, place the smashed ingredients into a sieve and set it on the surface of the pot, ensuring that the broth covers about half of the sieve. Then, cover the pot again and continue to simmer for about 10 – 20 minutes.

  After 20 minutes, remove the sieve and add the carrots to simmer for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, open the lid and add 400g of soaked shiitake mushrooms. At this point, you should use chopsticks to poke the meat to check if it is cooked. If not, put the meat back into the pot and simmer for another 15 – 20 minutes.

  Tip: Keep the ingredients in the sieve as it will make it easier to remove later. If you put the ingredients directly into the pot, you will need extra time to strain out the solids.

  After 20 minutes, cut in 3 green onion stalks, using both the tops and the stems for decoration and added flavor. Finally, simply serve the stew in a bowl and garnish with 10g of cilantro. That’s it, you’re done.

  

  
• 6

  Finished Product

  The dish of braised beef with shiitake mushrooms just completed carries a hint of aroma from the accompanying ingredients, blending with the flavor of shiitake mushrooms and the fragrant smell of beef. The beef is tender and delicious, the vegetables are soft but not mushy, and the broth is clear and sweet, making it incredibly appealing.

  You can also enjoy it with bread, which is very good as well.