Sichuan beef with fennel steamed bao buns and quick pickles

Step 1

In a non-metallic bowl, mix all the pickle ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate - for a quick pickle leave it for 20 minutes, but you can make in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

Step 2

To make the buns, in a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast with the water. Knead the mixture until elastic (about 10-12 minutes). Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 3 hours to prove until it has doubled in size. Punch the air out of the dough. Knead in the fennel seeds.

Step 3

Divide the dough into small balls of around 25g/1oz. You should get 16 buns. Knead the balls individually then cover and leave in a warm place to prove for a further 20 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, for the beef, season the meat with the salt and white pepper and dust with the potato flour. Heat a little oil in a wok over high heat. When hot, brown the beef until caramelised on all sides. Push the beef up the wok and add more oil. Fry the garlic, ginger, chillies, shallots and onions until lightly browned. Add the rest of the ingredients for the beef.

Step 5

Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1½ hours, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 20 minutes. You will need to give the stew an occasional stir in case the ingredients at the bottom start browning as the stew reduces. You want the stew to reduce to a thick consistency.

Step 6

To cook the buns, in a deep non-stick pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil over a low heat. Arrange the buns around the pan, leaving a 5mm/¼in space in between so they have enough space to rise during cooking. (You may need to cook them in 2 batches depending on the size of your frying pan.)

Step 7

Cover and cook for around 1-2 minutes. Then add enough water to half cover the buns and sprinkle some water over the top.

Step 8

Increase the heat to medium and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until all the water has evaporated and the bottom of the buns are crisp and golden-brown.

Step 9

To serve, place the buns on a board. Serve the beef stew alongside in a large bowl, garnished with coriander and spring onions. Serve the pickle on the side.