Red Cooked Beef（红烧牛肉） is a typical shanghai food. The perfect warming dish for a cold winter's day.

Ingredients:

5 dried Shiitake mushrooms
2 carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 onion
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (olive oil can be used)
1 1/2 pounds boneless stewing beef, cut into chunks
2 cups water , or as needed
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 – 3 whole star anise
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preparation:

1. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms by soaking them in hot water until softened (20 to 30 minutes). Squeeze out any excess water and chop.
2. Roll cut the carrots if you know how to do it, or cut on the diagonal. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Chop the onion.
3. Heat the oil in a preheated wok or a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until aromatic, then add half the beef. Let the beef brown briefly, then stir-fry until it loses its pinkness and is about 80 percent cooked. Remove the beef and drain. Repeat with the remainder of the beef. Stir-fry the onion, for about 2 minutes, until it begins to soften.
4. At this point you can continue cooking in the wok or move to a claypot. a) If you are cooking in a wok, add the beef, water, soy sauce, the Chinese rice wine or sherry, star anise and sugar. Bring ot a boil. b) If cooking in a claypot, add the beef, water, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine or sherry, star anise, sugar and the onion to the claypot, and bring to a boil on the stovetop, starting with low heat and then gradually increasing the heat to medium until the liquid comes to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
6. Add the dried mushroom and carrots. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the liquid is almost reduced. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Remove the the star anise before serving.