Asian food number 3 : Sweet Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless top round or strip steak,cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes1/2 cup peeled, thinly sliced ginger (about 2 ounces)Paste3 dried New Mexico chilies, soaked, seeded and deveined3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped1 large shallot, coarsely chopped1/2 cup water5 tablespoons vegetable oil3 tablespoons sugar2 tablespoons fish sauce1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper1 cup chicken broth1 cup green coconut juice1/4 cup tamarind juiceCilantro sprigs, for garnishCucumber slices

Directions

Put the beef in a medium bowl. Grind the ginger slices with a mortar and pestle, adding them a few at a time until you have extracted most of the juice, or use a mini-chop to make a wet paste. Squeeze the juice from the fibers (you should have 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons) and stir it into the beef; discard the ginger solids. Let the beef marinate for at least 10 minutes.Meanwhile, make the paste: Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are released, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 40 minutes.Add the coconut and tamarind juices and cook for another 20 minutes. If the sauce is too thin at this point, increase the heat and reduce further; the sauce should be fairly thick.Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with cucumber slices and rice.