If you have a piece of cheesecloth, tie up the aniseed to make a little bundle – if not, don’t worry, but you may want to strain the aniseed bits out of the gravy before serving.

In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, sherry and aniseed. Mix well then add the beef and stir to coat it all. Leave to marinate, overnight if possible.

When ready to cook, place the beef in a casserole dish and bring to a simmer over a moderately hot heat. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Gradually add the water (so the temperature doesn’t drop too much) and then cover the casserole and allow to simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours until the meat is tender. Stir the meat occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.

When ready to serve, remove the aniseed – strain any liquid to remove aniseeds if you haven’t got them in a bag.

Serve with fresh steamed broccoli and plain boiled rice.