Korean Inspired Beef with Pickled Wombok Salad and Brothy Rice
With the weather warming up, I wanted to think of a few easy slow-cooked recipes that didn’t feel as heavy as a winter dish but were comforting enough in case the weather cooled. This week I used Wombok, carrot, cucumber, coriander and apple from this week's box with the addition of spring onion, garlic and ginger.
As always, I want my recipes to be nutritionally sound, focusing on protein, fibre-rich carbs, healthy fats and lots of colour. I did opt to use white rice in this meal, and while it isn’t a fibre-rich carbohydrate, I’ve added a bright pickled wombok salad with cucumber, carrot, spring onion and coriander to make up for it. Beef is high in protein to support muscle growth and repair, and provides vitamin B12, B6, B3, iron, selenium, and zinc. The apple in the marinade adds pectin, a soluble fibre that acts as a prebiotic and helps nourish beneficial gut bacteria.
White rice provides energy for busy days, training and recovery. Because I plan my recipes to make enough for the next night’s dinner, the rice also develops some resistant starch as it cooks and cools.
Wombok adds vitamin C and polyphenols, along with plenty of crunch. Combined with cucumber, carrot, coriander and spring onion, it makes a fresh salad that balances the richness of the beef.
The recipe starts with a Korean-inspired marinade made with miso, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, chilli flakes, grated apple, spring onion and coriander. I used ox beef, a cut that works beautifully for an Asian-inspired slow-cooked meal. Its collagen and connective tissue soften during the long braise, creating a rich, velvety broth that carries flavours like ginger, soy and miso. The beef gets seared, then goes into the slow cooker with the marinade and two cups of broth. It stays on low all day until the meat falls apart and soaks up all those flavours, then dinner is easy work.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions and use a mandoline to quickly shred the wombok and slice the cucumber and carrot. I highly recommend investing in one if you don’t have one already; it saves so much time. The vegetables then sit in a pickling dressing for 30 minutes, making a sweet, bright salad that cuts through the richness and spice of the meat.
Remove the beef from the braising liquid and shred it. Spoon some of that liquid over the rice, layer on the beef and finish with the beautiful crisp salad.
Thanks to Em from Enzy Nourished for this recipe using veggies from the box.
Slow-cooked beef broth bowls with pickled wombok salad
Ingredients
Beef and marinade
1-2 tsp coconut oil
500 g ox beef (or chuck steak would work)
1 tbsp miso
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 apple, grated
1 tbsp chopped spring onion
1 tbsp chopped coriander
A little oil, for searing
500 ml beef stock
Rice and salad
1 cup uncooked white rice
¼ wombok, finely shredded
2 carrots, thinly sliced or julienned
4 cucumbers, thinly sliced
½ bunch coriander, leaves picked
3 spring onion stalks, finely sliced
Pickling dressing
6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp sesame oil
Method
Mix the miso, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, chilli flakes, ginger, garlic, grated apple, spring onion and coriander in a bowl.
Sear the beef in a hot pan with a little oil, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Add the marinade and stock. Cook on low for about 7–8 hours, or until the beef falls apart easily.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
Combine the wombok, carrots, cucumbers, coriander and spring onion. Toss with the pickling dressing and leave for 30 minutes.
Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it. Divide the rice between bowls and spoon over some of the braising liquid. Add the beef and finish with the pickled salad. Top with crispy chilli oil and sesame seeds.
Serves 4
