İskilip-Style Steamed Rice with Beef (Home Adaptation)

Cut 650 g boneless beef neck into large pieces and chop 180 g onion. Turn the beef in 15 g butter in a deep pot. Add 90 g onion, 950 g water, 5 g salt and 1 g pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 140–155 minutes, until the beef pulls apart with a fork. Check for at least 63 °C at the thickest point and rest the meat for at least 3 minutes. Strain the broth. Keep the beef hot, covered, in some of the remaining broth. Reserve 530 g broth for the rice and serving. If you have less, top it up with hot drinking water.

Rinse 300 g rice separately under the tap and drain well. Soften the remaining 90 g onion in 30 g butter. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add 330 g hot broth, 3 g salt and 1 g pepper. Simmer for 7–9 minutes, until the free liquid is absorbed and the centre of the grains is still firm.

Transfer the rice to a wide, open heatproof bowl and add 120 g hot broth. Bring 350 g water to a gentle boil in the steamer. Place the bowl in the basket above the water and cover with the regular lid. Taste a grain after 20–25 minutes. If the centre is hard, steam for a few more minutes. Top up the base with hot water if needed.

Lift out the bowl with dry oven mitts and rest the rice for 10 minutes. Pull the beef into large pieces with a fork and lay it over the rice. Spoon over 80 g hot broth a little at a time and divide among 4 plates.