Food Minia

I did not update this blog for a very long time, was feeling lazy and uninspired. Today recipe is a moreish spicy beef with cumin. Zi Ran Niu Rou 孜然牛肉 Cumin beef originates from the Muslim populated North-West of China. This dish is popular in many parts of China like Sichuan and Hunan, over here in UK I believe this has become very popular in many Sichuanese restaurants and home cooking

There are many ways to make a bowl of comfort beef stew. This non authentic recipe is one of my favourite and good way to clear up the vegetable drawer in the fridge. The stew looks ordinary like any tomatoey beef stew but with few oriental ingredients this will taste quite different. Gochujang gives a lovely chilli flavour without being too spicy hot. Star anise is great added to any beef stew

Toyomansi is my latest favourite sauce. It's a Filipino soy sauce with calamansi lime juice, a sourish soy with a citrus fragrance. I like it but having had fresh calamansi before, I have a suspicion some flavouring other than real calamansi is added but on the label flavouring is not listed. Toyomansi is available from most oriental supermarkets, quite cheap under £2 for a large bottle of 750ml.