Slow cooked beef with tomato and lemon grass

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil (or other vegetable oil)

1kg piece blade beef, cut into 3cm cubes

2 stalks lemongrass, sliced thinly, white part only (use green ends when steaming rice, the stems impart a delicious lemon flavour)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2cm ginger, peeled, chopped finely

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1-2 cups water

3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1 large zucchini, chopped coarsely

handful thai basil leaves

steamed rice- to serve

Method

Heat oil in large deep pan, cook beef until brown, in batches. Remove and reserve for later.

Cook lemongrass, garlic and ginger in remaining oil until aromatic. Add sugar, stir until bubbles. Add fish sauce and mix. place beef back in pan. Barely cover with water, place lid on pan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or until beef is just soft. Add tomato and zucchini, cook , uncovered, further 10 minutes. Taste, adjust flavour- add fish sauce if salt is needed, sugar if it needs more sweetness.

Serve beef with steamed rice sprinkled with thai basil.

Serves 4