Beef and Lentil Casserole

The classic beef casserole with a twist. This is one of my mum’s recipes, being Chinese we never used flour in our cooking growing up so she would often use red lentils to thicken sauces instead. I like to use shin beef for flavour and it’s cheaper but you can use any diced beef or lamb. As this is a longer recipe I usually save for the weekends or for batch cooking when I have more time, freezing in portions as a tasty quick ready meal after those long days. Serve with brown rice or sweet mashed potato

Ingredients
(serves 4)
1 onion roughly chopped
1 tomato roughly chopped
500g shin beef diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
400ml bone broth or veg stock
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
2 large carrots
1 clove garlic chopped
4 peeled slices ginger chopped
2 small handfuls red lentils
2 large handfuls of cabbage or any greens

Method

• In a large deep pan, heat the oil and add onions, ginger, tomatoes and star anise. Stir to avoid burning

• When onions have softened add beef, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme and paprika. Mix well

• When the meat has browned add garlic, stir and add bone broth, apple cider vinegar, carrots and salt.

• Bring to the boil, stir and simmer covered for 45 mins until meat is tender

• Add lentils and simmer for another 20 mins until lentils soft and sauce thickens. If too thick you can add more water

• When done, add your greens at the end and heat through for a couple of minutes