A classic Chinese braise of beef and squash, fragrant with cinnamon and star anise. Serve with plenty of rice.

Ingredients
Feeds 4. Takes 3 hours.

8 dried Chinese mushrooms
200ml hot water
1kg beef brisket
2tbsp vegetable oil
3tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3 thick slices fresh root ginger
2 garlic cloves, bruised
3 spring onions, finely chopped 125ml soy sauce 3tbsp soft brown sugar, eg, unrefined light muscovado
4 pieces of star anise
4 cinnamon sticks
500g butternut squash

Soak the mushrooms in 200ml hot water while you cook the brisket. Cut the brisket into 2.5cm (1in) cubes. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan or heatproof casserole, and brown the meat lightly. Add cold water to cover and bring to the boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer, skimming if necessary. Add the rice wine, ginger, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce, sugar, star anise and cinnamon sticks, stirring, and continue to simmer very gently, partly covered, for two hours. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the water. Discard the stalks, cut caps in half and add to the meat. Cut the squash into 2cm cubes, discarding seeds and skin. Add the cubed squash and cook, uncovered, for another 30 minutes until both brisket and squash are tender, and the sauce is well reduced. If you need to add more water, use the mushroom water, strained through a fine sieve. For a thicker braising liquid, mash some of the cooked squash into it. Serve with rice in four warm, deep bowls. I like to leave the garlic, ginger and whole spices in when serving, but don’t feel you have to.

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