I had been meaning to make Chinese braised oxtails after eating this dish at Savoy Kitchen - Alhambra long ago. Winter was the perfect time for a long, slow braise.
No story here. Just an easy, comforting recipe.
Chinese Braised Oxtails with 5-Spice and Hoisin Sauce
For 2 to 4 servings, you'll need:
1 to 1 1/2 lb oxtails
1 tblsp tomato paste
1 tblsp Hoisin Sauce
1 tblsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
2 tsp corn starch
Wash the oxtails.
In a 2-quart pot on medium-low heat, add about 1 quart of water, oxtails, 1 tblsp tomato paste, 1 tblsp hoisin sauce, 1 tblsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder.
Dissolve 2 tsp corn starch into 1/2 cup cold water. Add that to the pot as well. Give the pot a quick stir, lightly cover, and let the oxtails simmer for about 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, uncover the pot so the sauce can thicken. At this point, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
My camera time tells me this was three hours later, but that can't be right. The oxtails would have dried out and burnt by then. In any case, after about an hour, the liquid will have thickened enough to become a sauce. If the oxtails are as tender as you'd like, then you're done. Or just let them continue cooking another half hour to an hour if you'd like, adding water if needed to keep the liquid from drying out. You don't want a soup consistency, just saucy enough to spoon over rice.
Spoon some of the sauce over the rice to serve.
Enjoy!
Other braised dishes you might like:
Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Bo Kho Mang (Vietnamese Braised Beef with Bamboo Shoots)
Boeuf Bourguignon (French Beef Burgundy)
Osso Bucco (Italian Braised Beef Shanks)
Suon Kho Xa Gung Toi Ot (Vietnamese Braised Pork Chops with Lemongrass, Ginger, Garlic, and Chilies)
Suon Kho Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Braised Pork Chops with Preserved Plums)
Thit Heo Kho Dau Hu (Vietnamese Braised Pork with Tofu)
Thit Heo Kho Mit (Vietnamese Braised Pork with Jackfruit)
Thit Heo Kho Trung (Vietnamese Braised Pork with Eggs)
Thit Suon Kho Ngu Vi (Vietnamese Braised Spare Ribs with Five-Spice)
Vietnamese-French Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine and Mushrooms
Xiu Mai (Vietnamese Meatballs)
*****
1 year ago today, Life Cycle of Thanh Long (Vietnamese Dragon Fruit).
2 years ago today, Bo Xao Xa (Vietnamese Beef Sauteed with Lemongrass).
3 years ago today, the Best of 2006 roses from my garden.
i have a bag of oxtail in my freezer and have been at a loss lately with what to cook in the kitchen. thank you chi wc for some much needed inspiration!!
ReplyDeleteLan,
ReplyDeleteI've been lacking inspiration in general! Some days, I wish someone else could do all the cooking for me.