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1
Cut the beef into 1in cubes and set aside.
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2
Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Peel the shallots, but leave whole.
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3
Cut the lemon grass into 1in sections, from the bottom to about 1in from the top; cut off and discard the straw like top. Crush each section lightly with a mallet or other heavy object.
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4
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.
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5
Add the onions, garlic and shallots, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the lemon grass and continue to fry, stirring, until the onions are lightly browned. Turn off the heat.
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6
Take the shallots out of the pan and set aside.
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7
Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large, wide, preferably non-stick pan over a high heat. When hot, quickly fry the meat cubes in batches, turning to brown them all over. Remove with a slotted spoon. Brown all the meat in this way.
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8
Return all the meat to the large pan. Add 4 cups water and the garlic mixture. Coarsely chop the beans in the yellow bean sauce (if not already crushed) and add them too.
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9
Also put in the chili powder, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns and sugar. Bring to the boil, then cover, lower the heat and simmer gently for 11/4 hours.
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10
Add the reserved shallots, cover again, and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
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11
Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a little and the meat is tender. Skim the fat off the top of the stew before serving.
