Beef and Ale Stew

There's something about the rainy season that makes people gravitate towards heartier dishes. Whether it's braving the increasingly common floods on the way home from work or just wanting to cook something passive on a cold weekend day, one can't go wrong with this dish.

Ingredients
700g beef short ribs, cut into small chunks
a few tablespoons of flour
1/4 bar of butter
2 large onions, cut into quarters
2 whole pieces of garlic, crushed and peeled
200g tomato paste
1 bottle of preferred beer
half a liter of water, or substitute with another bottle of beer
1 beef bouillon cube
2 large potatoes, cut into eights
2 - 3 carrots, cubed
Worcestershire sauce

In a large bowl, coat the beef with flour.

On a large pot, melt the butter in medium heat. Add the beef in batches, ensuring that they are lightly seared. Once the beef's surface start to turn brown, immediately remove from the pot and place on a separate plate to allow it to rest.

Back to the large pot, add the garlic followed by the onions and cook slightly. Add the potatoes and carrots, and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes.

Add the beef, ensuring that the contents are mixed equally. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the beer into the pot. Bubbles may form from the carbonation, which will eventually settle after a few minutes.

Bring to high heat, then carefully pour in the water (but avoid filling to the brim) followed by the beef bouillon. Add the Worcestershire sauce to taste - I probably used a third of the bottle in this batch. Finally, add the tomato paste into the stew and bring to a boil.

Once the stew starts boiling, reduce to low heat to avoid overflowing. Cover the pot but leave a small gap to allow evaporation. Cook for another 1.5 - 2 hours until beef is tender, then serve.

Enjoy!