Thyme Red-Braised Beef Tendon and Oxtail

Why people make this dish

Nourilo likes to braise beef oxtail and tendon at home — the kind of slow-cooked, richly sauced dish that fills the kitchen with warmth and fragrance. When he spotted a fresh batch of thyme at the supermarket one day, he added it to the pot alongside shallots, garlic and a traditional master stock spice bag, and the result was outstanding. Served alongside noodles or pasta, it makes a memorable meal.

Thyme is one of those herbs that sits squarely in both Western cooking and traditional Chinese food therapy. It is warm and pungent in nature and is traditionally associated with warming the middle, dispersing cold, easing wind and pain, supporting circulation and immune function, and calming nervous discomfort. Research has begun exploring its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, though findings are still developing.