Hong Kong style curry beef brisket

Cut the beef brisket into big chunks and set it aside.

Chop the purple onion, shallot, garlic and ginger finely in a food processor on the on and off mode.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in a clay pot with the chopped aromatics and stir over medium heat about five minutes until soft and translucent.

Once the onion starts sticking to the bottom and caramelizing, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and orange peel.

Add the Zhuhou paste, satay paste, curry powder, turmeric, palm sugar and soy sauce and keep stirring a couple of minutes until the sugar melts and it becomes a thick sizzling paste.

Add the beef and the Chinese cooking wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot, and mix until all the meat is coated.

Pour in enough hot water to cover the meat, add half a can of coconut milk, bring to a boil and season with salt.

Blanch the beef before braising for a cleaner taste, or sear it in a skillet first for extra flavour.

Simmer two hours, checking now and then and topping up with hot water so it does not dry out.

Peel and chunk the potatoes, taste the curry for salt, and add the potatoes.

Simmer another 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender; reduce over higher heat if it is too thin, or add water if too thick.

Throw in a bunch of cilantro and spoon the curry over rice.