Fuqi Feipian

Before you start

• Make the composite soy sauce.

  In a small saucepan, combine the light soy sauce, brown sugar, rock sugar, 1 star anise, the cinnamon stick, and fennel seeds. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 40 minutes until reduced by a third and slightly syrupy. Strain the spices out and store the sauce in a jar.

• Clean the meat.

  Place the beef shank and tripe in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to release any impurities. Drain and rinse the meat thoroughly under cold water.

Ingredients

• boneless beef shank1 1/2 lb
• honeycomb beef tripe1/2 lb
• scallion2 med
• fresh ginger5 med
• Shaoxing wine3 tbsp
• star anise3 med
• cassia bark1 med
• black cardamom pod1 med
• dried sand ginger3 med
• Sichuan peppercorns1 tbsp
• salt1 tbsp
• light soy sauce1 cup
• brown sugar3 tbsp
• rock sugar1 tbsp
• cinnamon stick1 small
• fennel seeds1/2 tsp
• Sichuan red chili oil1/4 cup
• Chinese black vinegar2 tsp
• sesame oil1 tsp
• garlic3 small clove
• toasted Sichuan peppercorn powder1/2 tsp
• sugar1/4 tsp
• Chinese celery1/3 cup
• roasted peanuts1/4 cup
• white sesame seeds1 tbsp
• fresh cilantro1/2 cup

Method

1. 01

   Braise the meat.

   Place the blanched beef shank and tripe into a pressure cooker. Add the scallions, ginger, Shaoxing wine, 2 star anise, cassia bark, black cardamom, sand ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and salt. Add enough water to just barely cover the meat (about 4 cups). Seal and cook on High Pressure for 40 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.

2. 02

   Cool the meat completely.

   Transfer the meat and its braising liquid to a large container. Cool to room temperature on the counter, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Do not slice the meat while it is hot. Chilling firms the gelatin, which is the only way a home cook can achieve paper-thin slices without a commercial deli slicer. Reserve at least 1/4 cup of the braising liquid for the dressing.

3. 03

   Slice the chilled meats.

   Using your sharpest chef's knife, slice the cold beef shank against the grain into translucent, paper-thin pieces. Lay the honeycomb tripe flat and slice it on a 30-degree bias into thin strips.

4. 04

   Whisk the dressing.

   In a small bowl, combine the reserved 1/4 cup of strained braising liquid, the Sichuan red chili oil (make sure to scoop up the sediment from the bottom), 2 tablespoons of your reduced composite soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and a pinch of sugar.

5. 05

   Plate and serve.

   Scatter the Chinese celery across the bottom of a wide, shallow serving plate. Fan the sliced beef and tripe over the celery. Pour the dressing generously over the meat, ensuring every piece is glossy and coated. Top heavily with the crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro. Let the dish sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating so the meat can relax and absorb the sauces.

Notes

• Plan your timeline.

  This is fundamentally a make-ahead dish. Do the braising and sauce reduction on Sunday. The sauces keep for months, and the meat will happily sit in the fridge. Come Tuesday night, assembly takes ten minutes.

• Sourcing substitutions.

  If your local market lacks Chinese celery, use the pale, tender inner stalks and leaves of standard western celery. Try not to skip the dried sand ginger if you can help it—it is the grandmother's secret that gives the braise its distinct, homeland aroma.