1-First, sear the beef cheeks in 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot until browned all over, which takes about 6 minutes. This step locks in the juices and builds a rich base for the dish.

2-Next, mix 75 ml hoisin sauce, 600 ml water, 75 ml sweet soy sauce, 150 ml soy sauce, and 150 ml Chinese cooking wine in a bowl.

3-Then, add the liquid mixture to the pot along with the seared meat, 3 cloves garlic, 2 inch piece of ginger, and 1 stalk lemongrass. Bring everything to a simmer and cover the pot with baking paper and a lid for even cooking. Bake at 150°C for 2.5 to 3 hours until the beef cheeks are fork tender, turning them halfway if the liquid doesn’t fully cover the meat.

4-For the carrot puree, peel and dice 300 g carrots, then simmer them in 400 ml vegetable stock with 1 inch piece of ginger for 10-12 minutes. Blend the carrots with 50 g butter and 75 ml of the stock until smooth, adding more stock if needed, and season with a pinch of salt.

5-Finally, for the Nam Jim dressing, roughly chop 1 green chili, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 spring onion, then blend with 4 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp palm sugar, and a handful of coriander until partially smooth.

6-Once everything is ready, garnish with 1 red chili and 4 tbsp coriander for a fresh finish.