My mum’s beef stew is unforgettable, so I had to put down her beef stew recipe lest my memory becomes fuzzy.
She does a mean one, and we used to have them once in a long while when we were younger. So whenever she makes this, I’d be sure to make a dash for it!
She’s a busy working mum, so this hearty beef stew always gives me the sense of warmth and love that she put into cooking :)
And, finally, I had the chance to find out her “secret”, and may I present to you….
Mama’s One-pot Beef Stew Recipe (Serves 3 adults + 1 child)
Ingredients:
300 g beef cubes
1 medium sized radish, cut into desired size
3 medium potatoes, cut into desired size
3 stalks celery, cut into desired size
1 box brown Swiss mushrooms, sliced into half
1/2 packet of frozen mixed vegetables (we used Wattie’s), defrost
1 0nion bulb, peeled and chopped
1 garlic bulb, peeled
1 tbsp butter
Ingredients for gravy:
3 tbsp dark sauce
1 tbsp light sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce or abalone sauce (I used Abalone Sauce as I didn’t have oyster sauce)
3 tbsp cornstarch or plain flour (I used plain flour as I didn’t have Cornstarch. Tip: 1 tbsp cornstarch/plain flour to 2 tbsp hot water)
Hot water
Method:
- Heat pan and pan-fry beef cubes lightly in butter till they turn slightly brown. Remove and set aside. Do not remove the juices left on the pan, and place garlic onto pan to fry lightly till fragrant then set aside.
Boiling the potatoes and radish prior – beef stew, I’m coming! - Boil potatoes and radish in boiling water till semi-soft. Step 1 can be done concurrently to save time.
- Place potatoes and radish at the base of the pot of a slow cooker, and layer the rest of the ingredients.
- To make the gravy: In a small bowl, add dark sauce, light sauce and oyster sauce/abalone sauce and mix with a spoon. (Tip: It would be saltish since the mixture is concentrated. Adding water when everything is in the pot would dilute the taste, so not to worry especially if you have young children sharing the dish :) )
- Drizzle gravy over ingredients, and add hot water to cover the top of the ingredients. and turn on the hob at medium flame. Allow to boil, before reducing to low flame and boil for 3-4 hours. Intermittently stir lightly and check to ensure that the dish does not dry up or burn.
- Before serving, add cornstarch/plain flour mixture into pot and stir. Allow to cook for another 5 – 10 minutes to allow gravy to thicken. If you prefer thicker gravy, add more cornstarch/plain flour mixture.
Tips:
- This one-pot beef stew recipe is really versatile – simply add your fave ingredients in!
- This dish can be cooked with a slow cooker too – skip step 2 and set to Auto and let the slow cooker work its magic for 4-6hrs.
- Do be really careful when scooping the food out for the kids – it’s really really hot!
And…. it’s ready to serve! Enjoy it hot with white rice and TA-DAH! 1 dish is all you need! It’s a time-saving meal plus there’s lesser washing to do too! WIN-WIN!
Well, how did the hubs and little V take to the new recipe?
The man ate in silence (he’s an annoying food critic!) and I was worried that he might have lots to say about the food. Thankfully, he was all praises for it, even commending that it was the best dish I’ve ever made so far (WHAT?!?!).
But, I’m happy that the little girl enjoyed it too! She’s been a little selective over meats and vegs of late, but so glad she ate everything and was all smiles! PHEW! *happy dance*
As a wife and a mother, it’s all that matters when these precious people appreciate your cooking, right? :)
Special “Thank you!” to my own mama for sharing this unforgettable dish that my mum used to make. Hopefully, my loved ones feel the same from me too.
If you love one-pot, easy dishes like I do, check out this healthy homemade Pumpkin Rice recipe which uses the rice cooker!
What was your favourite childhood dish? Have you been cooking them too? Do share with us too!
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