Chinese Oxtail Soup

Instructions

1. Prepare the oxtail
   Rinse the oxtail pieces under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat if desired. Blanch the oxtail pieces in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to remove impurities.
2. Brown the oxtail
   Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the oxtail pieces and brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned oxtail to a plate.
3. Sauté the aromatics
   In the same pot, add the ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Stir and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the Shaoxing wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Simmer the soup
   Return the oxtail to the pot. Add the soy sauce, dried Chinese red dates, and water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2.5 hours, or until the oxtail meat is tender and starting to fall off the bone.
5. Add the vegetables
   Add the carrots and daikon radish to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the vegetables are tender and the oxtail meat is very soft.
6. Skim and season
   Occasionally skim off any fat or foam that rises to the surface. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce if needed. The soup should have a rich, savory flavor.
7. Serve the soup
   Remove the star anise and cinnamon stick. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving has oxtail pieces, vegetables, and broth. Garnish with sliced scallions and chopped cilantro.