Braised Beef with Potatoes

• beef, cut into ~2 cm cubes
• yellow potato, peeled and cut into even bite-sized chunks
• red chili pepper, sliced
• ginger, minced
• garlic, minced
• green Sichuan peppercorns
• dried bullet-head chili peppers
• cooking wine, for blanching
• cooking wine
• doubanjiang
• oyster sauce
• sugar
• water
• light soy sauce
• thirteen-spice powder
• scallion, tied into knot
• salt, to taste
• sugar, to taste
• chicken powder, to taste
• white pepper powder, to taste
• red chili pepper, sliced
• scallion, chopped for garnish
• cooking oil

Preparation

1. Step 1
   Cut 400 g beef into roughly 2 cm cubes. Peel 500 g yellow potatoes and cut into even bite-sized chunks. Slice 1 red chili pepper. Mince 15 g each ginger and garlic. Tie 2 scallions into a knot and reserve some chopped scallion for garnish.
2. Step 2
   Blanch the cubed beef in boiling water with a splash of cooking wine, then remove and drain well.
3. Step 3
   Heat a wok, add oil to coat and pour out excess, then add a little base oil and heat to about 5成热 (medium-hot). Stir-fry the minced ginger, garlic, dried chilies, and green Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant.
4. Step 4
   Add the blanched beef and stir-fry on medium-low heat for 3 minutes until fragrant. Splash in 15 g cooking wine.
5. Step 5
   Add 15 g doubanjiang and stir-fry until the red oil is released. Add 5 g oyster sauce and 2 g sugar, then pour in water until it covers the beef by about 4 cm. Stir in 3 g light soy sauce, a pinch of thirteen-spice powder, and the scallion knot.
6. Step 6
   Cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Remove and discard the scallion knot, then add the prepared potato chunks. Cover and continue simmering for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
7. Step 7
   Season with salt, sugar, chicken powder, and white pepper powder to taste. Add the sliced red chili and simmer on low heat for 2 minutes. Drizzle with a little finishing oil, toss to combine, then plate and garnish with chopped scallion.