Spicy Oxtail Soup

Ingredients:
2 pcs oxtails, cut into chunks, trim the fats and scald in hot water
3 tomatoes, skinned & cubed
5 big onions, cut into wedges
3 ½ oz. chilies, ground to a paste
3 tbsp tomato puree
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 potatoes, cut into large chunks

Spices: lightly crushed and put in a muslin bag
3 pcs star anise
1 pc cinnamon stick, 5 cm long
5 pcs cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp aniseeds
1 Tbsp peppercorns, crushed

Salt to taste
2 liter of beef stock, boiling hot

Method:

1. With 3 Tbsp oil, in a Dutch Oven, fry the onions till fragrant. Add in the ground chilies and tomato puree.
2. After a quick stir, add in the oxtails and fry until it is well coated. Add in the tomatoes.
3. Next, pour in the hot beef stock and add the spice bag into the Dutch oven. Reduce heat and simmer for 1½ hours.
4. Add carrots, then 20 mins later, the potatoes & simmer until the oxtails are tender.
5. Remove the spice bag and add salt to taste.
6. Serve in individual soup bowls. Garnish with fried shallots and Chinese celery.