Braised beef with tomato and potato on rice
Beef, tomato and potato in a sweet-sour sauce made for mixing into rice — no seafood, nuts or MSG, so it's a safe choice for sensitive eaters.
- 40 min
- Serves 2
- Braise
- Easy
Why it suits you: People with a sensitive constitution react easily, and skin and nasal allergies flare in humid heat, so simple, lightly seasoned food is best. Tomato aids digestion, potato settles the stomach and strengthens the spleen, and beef builds qi and blood. With no seafood, nuts or MSG, the sweet-sour sauce over rice is a hit with children too.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min- 1Marinate the beef with 1 tsp soy sauce, the cornflour and a little oil for 10 minutes. Cut the tomatoes into chunks and dice the potatoes and onion.
- 2Heat the oil in a wok and sear the beef over high heat until browned; set aside.
- 3In the same pan, fry the ginger and onion, then the tomatoes until they break down. Add the tomato purée, potatoes and 200 ml water, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- 4Return the beef, season with the remaining soy sauce, the sugar and salt, and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Spoon over the rice.
Cautions
- Some people find beef makes eczema itchier during a flare; use pork instead if so.
Chef's tips
- Cook the tomatoes down before adding water for a richer sauce, and return the beef only at the end so it stays tender.
The TCM view
Beef is sweet and neutral, strengthening the spleen and stomach, boosting qi and blood and fortifying the sinews. Tomato is sweet, sour and slightly cold, generating fluids and aiding digestion. Potato is sweet and neutral, settling the stomach and boosting qi, and onion is warm, regulating qi. Mild and balanced, it builds up the body's defences so outside triggers are less likely to set off a reaction.
