Oxtail and Tomato Soup

What’s better than a bowl of tasty steaming soup on a cold winter day? Oxtail and Tomato soup is my childhood favorite. The original recipe is from my stepdad. I tweaked it a little to make it healthier.
This version is low in fat and high in protein as well as vitamin A, B, and C. It also fights free radicals and is great for your skin and digestive system.

Main ingredients:
1 package of oxtail – trim the fat
4 gloves of garlic
4 slices of fresh ginger
1 and half star anise
10 whole Sichuan peppercorns (you can find them in Chinese grocers, if not, use 15 regular peppercorns)
5 large beefsteak tomatoes

Brown the oxtail in a pan along with garlic and ginger.
Fill a 4-quartz Crockpot a little over ½ ways with boiling water.
Add the oxtail, garlic, ginger, star anise, and peppercorns.
Turn the Crockpot on to high, cook the soup until it is boiling, and then turn the Crockpot to low.
Add 5 whole tomatoes to the pot and let it cook for 6 hours.
Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Walla…. Enjoy!