Immune-Boosting Five-Spice Braised Beef with Sweet Potato Mash

A slow-cooked, immune-boosting beef recipe with a light, fragrant broth — perfect for spring days. Infused with Chinese five spice, ginger, garlic, chilli, and bone broth, it delivers gentle Asian-inspired flavours that are both nourishing and comforting, packed with warming, anti-inflammatory ingredients to support your body from the inside out.

I’ve always believed in using food as medicine, and there’s something so grounding about a slow-braised meal — the way it fills the kitchen with spice and comfort, and gives you back a little strength with every spoonful.

Instead of rice, I’ve paired it with a creamy sweet potato mash loaded with garlic, ginger and spring onion, plus some simple steamed bok choy finished with a drizzle of sesame oil, though any leafy green would be wonderful here.

Exactly the kind of nourishing, restorative meal you crave when you need a little reset — comforting, wholesome, and deeply satisfying.

Lunch

Dinner

A Little Longer

Serves 4

Prep Time 5 Mins

Cook Time 3+HRS Mins

Method

1
Brown the beef: Season the beef generously with salt. Heat half the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2
Build the base: Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining olive oil, and sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until softened and fragrant. Stir in the five spice and chilli, cooking for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Deglaze with mirin.
3
Slow braise: Return the beef to the pot along with the carrots, tomatoes, star anise, cinnamon stick, rosemary, tamari, fish sauce, maple syrup, bone broth, and water. Season well with pepper. Bring to a high simmer, then cover partially and reduce to low. Cook gently for 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the broth rich and glossy.
4
Prepare the mash: Meanwhile, boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add butter, olive oil, garlic, ginger, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mash until smooth, then fold through the spring onions.
5
Finish and serve: Once the beef is tender, stir through the lemon juice and coriander. Adjust seasoning to taste and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
6
Serve the braised beef over a generous scoop of sweet potato mash, with a side of steamed greens if desired.