Semur Daging (Sweet Soy Braised Beef)

1Preparation

1. Cut the beef into 3 cm cubes and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
2. Slice the shallots, chop the garlic and chop the tomatoes.
3. Peel and quarter the potatoes and keep them in cold water.

2Cooking

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the shallots until golden.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 6 min timer
2. Add the garlic, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper and stir until fragrant.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 1 min timer
3. Turn up the heat, add the beef and turn it until browned on the outside.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 6 min timer
4. Add the tomatoes, sweet soy sauce and soy sauce, and stir until the beef is coated.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 2 min timer
5. Pour in the water, cover and simmer gently until the beef starts to become tender.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 70 min timer
6. Add the potatoes and cook uncovered until they are tender, the beef is soft and the sauce has thickened and turned glossy.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 25 min timer

3Serving

1. Taste, adjust the salt and remove the cinnamon stick.
2. Serve in a deep bowl with plain rice and a sprinkle of fried shallots if you have them.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: adding the potatoes at the start — they fall apart before the beef is tender. Add them for the last half hour.
• Sweet soy sauce catches easily; stir every 15 minutes and scrape the bottom of the pot.
• You can add 4 peeled hard-boiled eggs for the last 15 minutes — a common addition.

🔁 Substitutions

• Sweet soy sauce: 4 tbsp soy sauce with 4 tbsp brown sugar.
• Beef: boneless lamb, with slightly less cooking time.