Beef Cubes With Daikon Radish Szechuan Style

This is a Chinese Szechuan dish using an Asian white radish… and slow cooking is used to blend the flavors. You can cook this on a stove top or crock pot, your choice.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 lbs boneless beef cubes
• 1  tablespoon rice wine
• 3  tablespoons soy sauce (more as needed, to taste)
• 2  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 1  tablespoon tapioca flour (substitute corn starch)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs daikon radishes (Chinese-Japanese white radish)
• 1  scallion (diagonally cut up)
• 3  tablespoons ginger (coarsely minced)
• 1 1⁄2 star anise
• 1⁄2-1  cup  beef stock (if using a crock pot, alternative cooking)

Directions

1. PREPARATION:
2. Place the beef cubes in a bowl and add the rice wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, tapioca powder and mix well, set aside.
3. Using s carrot peel remove the outer skin of the Daikon radish and then cut length wise, next cut into 2 inch pieces, then slightly rounding off/trim all the edges, place in a bowl, cover with water, set aside.
4. COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
5. Place 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and when hot add the beef cubes, stir-fry and brown on all sides.
6. Place the beef cubes in a big pot and add the scallion, ginger, 4-5 cups of water (to cover).
7. Add the star anise and 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce and bring to a boil, skim off the scum from the top, and lower the heat to very low boil, cover and cook for about 1-2 hours (stir once in a while as needed).
8. When the meat is almost tender, drain the water from the Daikon radish and add to the pot.
9. Continue to cook until the beef and Daikon radish is tender (not to soft), stir once in a while.
10. Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce to your liking.
11. Serve with white rice, an Asian vegetable and enjoy.
12. NOTES:
13. A) ALTERNATE, CROCK POT COOKING: Brown the meat as noted above (including ingredients mentioned in the "Preparation Instructions"), then add the beef into a crock pot, add 1/2 cup beef stock, star anise and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Next set the crock pot to high 4 hours (depends on your model). At about 3 1/2 hours add the Daikon radish (and more beef stock if needed), a quick stir, cover and continue to cook. Check the radish to see that it is tender and add more soy sauce to taste. When done, serve with white rice and an Asian vegetable.
14. B) Do not overcook the meat or Daikon radish when using either a stove top or a crock pot.