(While shopping for herbs and spices, the butcher recommended veal shank for this dish. I was skeptical, but decided to try it, and he was right—it turned out delicious and perfectly tender. If you like, give it a try!)

Meanwhile, make a small pot of broth. Sear the beef bones until browned, then add them to a pot of water with smashed ginger and a splash of white wine to help remove any strong odor. When the water comes to a boil, discard the water, rinse the bones, and start simmering them with grilled shallots, smashed grilled ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and cilantro roots over low heat while you prepare the other ingredients. Season lightly with salt, since you'll be combining this broth with the red wine sauce later.

While the beef is marinating, thaw your frozen tomatoes in water if using (this is how I keep tomatoes available year-round). Once thawed, the skins peel off easily—just squeeze gently and the skins slip right off. Blend the peeled tomatoes with a little water until smooth.

For this recipe, I use a rice cooker to make the stew, but if you can, sear the beef first for more flavor. In a pan, sauté the chopped onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, 3 dried chili peppers (with seeds), and 2 cinnamon sticks until fragrant and slightly golden. Add all the marinated beef and stir over high heat until the meat is slightly browned (I sometimes add a bit of annatto powder for color). Adjust seasoning to taste.

Once the beef is browned, transfer it to the rice cooker. Pour in the blended tomato mixture, add about 5-6 tablespoons of tomato paste (adjust for desired thickness), add enough water to cover the meat, and add the star anise. Close the lid and set the rice cooker to the soup setting. (Now you can relax, read a book, or watch a movie while the kitchen fills with the aroma of beef stew.)

After simmering for about 1.5 hours, the beef should be tender. Add about 1.5 soup ladles of red wine and continue to cook until the meat is fully tender. About 30-45 minutes before serving, add the potatoes and carrots to cook with the beef. The potatoes will help thicken the broth, so make sure not to use too little water.

Before serving, adjust the seasoning with fish sauce and salt to taste, and cook the rice noodles. Serve the chewy rice noodles with tender beef, a spoonful of spicy red wine sauce, some fresh herbs, and ladle over the beef bone broth. Eating this on a chilly day really warms you up and makes you feel refreshed. The only downside is it might make you sleepy!