Hi everyone, today I am going to show you a Chinese borscht recipe with oxtail.
Let's go over the ingredients first.
The oxtail are prepared and cut into pieces from a market or a store.
Clean and wipe them dry, and then coat both sides with some flour.
In a pan, preheat it and then add in 2 tbs. of vegetable oil and 2 tbs. of butter.
When the oil is hot enough, shake off excess flour on oxtails, and place them in the pan.
Sear them over medium heat, 3 minutes for each side.
Coating the oxtail with flour will enhance the flavor.
It also helps to thicken up the soup later.
When the oxtails are browned, add in bay leaf, and press in a clove of garlic.
Sear them together in a hot pan.
When they become fragrant, pour in cooking wine, and a generous amount of hot water.
Make sure oxtails are submerged under water.
Bring it to a boil, and then transfer everything into a stew pot.
Bring it to another boil, and remove the foam.
Add in canned tomato. Cover with lid, and turn down the heat to low.
Let them cook for about 2 hours.
Canned tomato has a stronger flavor than fresh tomato.
Or you can substitute with fresh tomato and tomato paste.
Tomato paste comes with a toothpaste like tube package.
It is made by reducing tomato moisture into a thick and rich concentrate, so it has a tangier flavor.
While the oxtails are braising, prepare the other side vegetables.
Peel potatoes and carrots, and cut them into 2cm chunks.
Same goes for celery sticks.
Cut cabbage into shreds, and onion into dices.
Soak a big tomato in boiling water for 30 seconds.
And then take it out and rinse in cold water.
Peel it off, and cut into small chunks roughly the same size as the other vegetables.
In another pan, drizzle in some oil. Sear onions first until fragrant.
Followed by potatoes, carrots, celery sticks and cabbage shreds.
Stir fry them together for about 5-6 minutes until tender.
Now bring the vegetables in the stew pot.
Stir fry beforehand will add in extra flavor to the vegetables as well.
Slow cook for another hour over low heat.
After cooking for about 3 hours in total, remove the lid, take a look and see if the oxtails are cooked through.
Since you don’t need too much time for fresh tomatoes, so add them in the pot when the other ingredients are fully cooked.
Now season with some salt.
Let them braise for another 15 minutes, and it's done.
Finish touches before you get them in the bowl, freshly ground peppers.
Now it's done.
After slow cooking for so many hours, the meat on oxtail can be easily removed from its bone.
The soup is very thick. But we have some fresh tomatoes in, so it won't be too heavy.
Instead, it tastes very appetizing.
Along with some cabbage, this soup is perfect for a hot summer day.
And it goes well with rice, bread, or spaghetti.
I hope you enjoy this dish, and thanks for watching.