Grandma Ong incorporates spices not found in the original recipe, bringing a Nyonya punch to this crowd favourite.

Deborah adapted this recipe from Indonesian beef semur, which itself is an influence on beef smore, a common Eurasian dish in Malaysia and Singapore.

The slow braise of ingredients in this pong teh coax out every bit of flavour, which means that it’s worth splurging on some good chicken and soy sauces for this dish.