Visual Guide
Here is everything in place: beef, vegetables, seasoning. Vegetable broth and water are off to the side, out of view.
Onions diced, garlic minced, potatoes cubed, carrots and cabbage chopped. Use sizes that are to your liking; I prefer these sizes because they are what I am used to. Others prefer sliced onions, for example, and that’s perfectly fine too.
Onions and garlic are lightly caramelized in olive oil, over medium heat. A little red wine adds some depth of flavor but isn’t necessary.
I chose tri-tip steak because it adds a very nice and robust flavor, but a more generic stew meat can be substituted. In either case, the beef should be roughly bite-size.
Brown the beef over the onions, stirring occasionally so the beef doesn’t burn.
Carefully add vegetable broth and water and allow to simmer.
Add potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and parsley, and stir gently.
Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and our special ingredient: shoyu (soy sauce). I prefer Aloha shoyu, as it has a sweet and mild flavor, as opposed Kikkoman’s more tangy and saltier product. Chili flakes add a bit of spice.
Allow the stew to simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour; at this point, the veggies are cooked, the beef is tender, and the stew is ready to eat.
This beef stew dish is best served over rice, with a fresh piece of Hawaiian sweet bread on the side, and a tall glass of cold POG (Passion Orange Guava) juice. Additional shoyu (soy sauce) can be added, to taste. I hope you enjoy cooking and consuming this dish as much as I do. May it bring you many fond memories and a lot of warmth on those cold and wintery nights.