Recipe: Two ways to cook oxtail

Oxtail has become more popular in recent years. According to my butcher, this is a cut they used to throw away. According to my pocket, it's also become increasingly expensive.

Oxtail makes a wonderful stew, with the meat falling off the bone after a few hours on the stove. It's one of my comfort foods in winter, because it reminds me of home. But it can also be very suitable for summer, cooked in the right way. In autumn/winter, a hearty stew with a touch of the brightness of tomatoes warms the heart. In spring/summer, a light braise with tangy spices leaves one satisfied but not overwhelmed.

The great thing about stews and braises is that it takes time. So I can just pop it in and go to the gym, and when I return, there's this wonderful aroma permeating the whole house the moment I step through the door. Talk about incentive to exercise! Then I'll do the last hour bits and shower while it cooks in the final stage. It's great to do before morning church too, especially when you've got guests for lunch.

The first recipe for oxtail stew is my mum's. The second for braised oxtail is an Eurasian dish (Eurasians have their own unique culture in Singapore) that I got out of a newspaper cutting in Singapore originally and have been tweaking ever since.


RECIPE: MUM'S OXTAIL STEW


8 pcs oxtail (approx. 1 tail)
2 big onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
2 tbsp light soya sauce
pinch of sugar
2-3 tbsp rice wine or white wine or vermouth

Pre-heat the oven at 170 celcius.
1. Dust oxtail with a little seasoned flour and brown in a casserole with a little oil. Remove and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the casserole and fry the onions, carrots and tomatoes until translucent (approx. 5 mins). Remove and set aside.
3. Deglaze the casserole (i.e. loosen the bits stuck at the bottom) with 2 tbsp of wine.
4. Layer half the vegetables and oxtail in the casserole. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
5. Add tomato paste, light soya sauce and sugar. Adjust to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and place on lower shelf of oven for 3 hours. The meat should be tender and falling off the bone. In the last half hour, add the rest of the vegetables.
Serve with rice.

Note: Instead of using the oven, this dish can also be cooked over a stove. Cook on high heat for 15 mins, then lower the heat and simmer till ready.


RECIPE: BRAISED OXTAIL

8 pcs oxtail (approx. 1 tail)
2 large onions
1 pc ginger (approx. 1 cm)
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 cinnamon stick (approx. 8 cm)
1/2 nutmeg
14 cloves

1. Place oxtail in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil for 2 hours.
2. Zip the onions, ginger, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and cloves in the food processor until very fine.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a separate casserole. Fry (2) until oil separates and the mixture is glistening.
4. Add some water from the oxtail to deglaze the casserole. Then transfer the oxtail and stock into the casserole. Cover and cook on medium heat for 1 hour. If the braise is drying up, add a bit of boiling water - not too much, lest it becomes a stew. The liquids should be greatly reduced so that the oniony bits start showing.
5. Halfway through the last hour, add the vegetables.
Serve with rice.

That's it - two was to cook oxtail! Tell me which one you prefer!