This soup is inspired by a Korean oxtail soup recipe, great flavoursome but a simple winter warmer. 

It is a great idea to try different cuts of meat if you can find them in your local butcher. I always find the range of meat cuts available in supermarket rather predictable and boring. I love going to the local butchers to see what is available, although the smell of the shop can be overpowering sometimes, but you will be able to get a wider range of meat cuts at a more reasonable price.

Ingredients:

1. 1 whole oxtail (chopped into chunks)
2. 5 carrots (peeled and sliced into chunks)
3. 2 large whole onion (sliced into chunks)
4. 2 Cinnamon sticks
5. 1 Star anise
6. Generous fresh ginger root (roughly sliced)
7. 1 tbsp black pepper corns
8. 1 leek stalk
9. Salt and pepper to taste
10. 1 tbsp oil
11. 2 litres water

Bring at least 1.5 litres water to the boil in a large pan. Wash and trim off any fat from the oxtail. Put the oxtail in the boiling water and cook for few minutes. Remove the tail from the water and wash with cold water. Discard the water from the pan.

In a deep pot, heat the oil and fry onion, cinnamon, star anise and ginger until soften. Add in the oxtail and lightly brown the meat.

Add the water to the pan, and all the rest of the ingredients. Cook the soup under medium heat until the meat is soft and tender.

Strain the soup and discard other ingredients except the oxtail (obviously) and carrots. (of course you can eat the rest of the ingredients too if you don't like to waste the food)