Braised Beef (Shanxi Style)

Ingredients:

400 grams lean boneless beef
1/2 gram fennel seed
10 teaspoons soy sauce
100 ml. chicken or duck broth
4 tablespoons cornstarch , dissolved in 4 tbsp water
2 teaspoons rice wine
100 grams scallions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
100 ml. sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)

Procedure:

Wash the beef and cut into thin slices. Mix with the soy sauce and scallions. Stir the cornstarch-water mixture and add. Heat the sesame oil in a work add the fennel seeds. Heat to very hot or until the oil starts to smoke, and add the beef. Stir-fry until barely cooked. Add the stock, rice wine and MSG (optional). Cover the wok, and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Add the ginger, stir and remove.