Beef - Ngau Lam Pou, Chinese Braised Beef Brisket

This is a yummy yum dish that i cannot resist. Everytime i go chinatown in london late at night after clubbing, this is usually what i order, and i never get sick of it.

Ingredients:

500g beef brisket
3 cloves garlic (diced)
5 slices ginger
2 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
2 cardamom seeds
3-4 carrots, cut in chunks
5 large bay leaves
1 tsp sichuan pepper (optional)
1 tsp black peppercorn
1 shallot (diced)
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
5 tbsp black soy sauce
3 cups water
cornstarch as thickener
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Method:

Cut beef into 2cm cubes. Heat 3 tbsp of oil and fry garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom, shallots till fragrant. Add beef in and fry till browned. Add water and rest of ingredients. Bring to boil then lower heat. Cook till sauce is halved (about 1 hour). Add constarch to thicken if necessary and salt and pepper to taste.