Chinese Brisket and Turnip Stew

Yes, gentle reader, most of us think of brisket as the quintessential Jewish American meat delicacy but more than  just us, members of the tribe like it. It’s long been a holiday staple of Ashkenazi cuisine, but it is also extremely popular in the Orient (China, Korea, Thailand, Viet Nam), as well as in Mexico where it’s known as suadero.

When I came across this recipe chow.com I knew that you’d all enjoy this variation on a theme:

Ingredients

• 1 (4- to 5-pound) beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10 (1/4-inch-thick) slices fresh, unpeeled ginger
• 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce *
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water, plus more for blanching the brisket
• 3 star anise pods
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 2 pounds turnips or daikon radish
• 1 bunch scallions
• Steamed white rice or cooked rice noodles, for serving

* The original recipe calls for “chu hou paste,” since I could not find a kosher certified brand, after some research I came up with hoisin sauce which is very similar but less spicy. There are two kosher brands Gefen and Joyce Chen.

Directions

1. Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the brisket pieces and return the water to a boil. Immediately drain the meat through a colander and rinse any scum off of it with cold water; set aside.
2. Wash and dry the pot. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Return the meat to the pot, add the chu hou paste, and stir to coat. Add the chicken broth, measured water, star anise, sugar, and measured salt and stir to combine.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a tightfitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
4. Meanwhile, peel and cut the turnips or daikon into 1-1/2-inch cubes, place in a large bowl, and cover with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap. Trim and cut the scallions into 1-inch pieces, place in a small bowl, and cover with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap. Refrigerate the vegetables until the meat is tender.
5. Add the turnips or daikon to the pot and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring halfway through the cooking time, until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the scallions, and let sit uncovered for 5 minutes to allow the scallions to soften slightly. Remove and discard the star anise pods. Taste and season with salt as needed. Serve with steamed rice or rice noodles.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS