Sichuan Braised Beef Tendon with Chili Oil (Liang Ban Niu Jin)

Ingredients

• 800 g beef tendon, whole pieces, trimmed of excess fat
• For the master stock
• 2 litres water
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 dried red chillies, whole
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 thumb of fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 spring onion stalks, bruised
• For the dressing
• 3 tbsp Sichuan chili oil, with sediment
• 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced to a paste
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced on the bias
• To garnish
• 1 small bunch coriander (cilantro), roughly torn
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. 1
   Place the beef tendon in a pot of cold water. Bring to the boil and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. The surface should be clean and grey, with no blood foam remaining.
2. 2
   Return the tendon to the pot with all master stock ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Braise, covered, for a minimum of 3 hours, turning the tendon once at the midpoint. This is where the dish lives or dies: the tendon must be gelatinous and yielding throughout — press a piece with a chopstick; it should give without resistance and feel uniformly soft. Any chewiness means it requires more time.
3. 3
   Remove the tendon from the stock and allow it to cool briefly. Transfer to a container, submerge in enough strained braising liquid to cover, and refrigerate overnight. The tendon is ready when it has firmed completely and holds a clean edge when pressed — it will feel dense and cold throughout.
4. 4
   Lift the tendon from the chilled stock. Using a sharp knife, slice it across the grain into pieces 2–3 mm thick. The slices should be translucent and hold their shape cleanly on the board. Reserve the braising stock for a subsequent braise or soup base.
5. 5
   Combine the chili oil (with its sediment), Chinkiang vinegar, sesame paste, soy sauce, and minced garlic in a bowl. Mix until the sesame paste is fully incorporated into the other liquids — the dressing should be cohesive, glossy, and brick-red.
6. 6
   Arrange the cold tendon slices on a serving plate. Spoon the room-temperature dressing evenly over the surface. Scatter the sliced spring onions, torn coriander, and sesame seeds over the top. The dish is dressed and ready to serve when the aroma of chili oil and garlic rises immediately from the plate.