Add the oil to a heavy pan with a lid, Coat the beed with the flour and brown in batches. then transfer to a large bowl. Then Fry the bacon and onion until softened. Then add the Garlic and about 3 tbsp of the beer to get all the lovely brown bits on the bottom.

Add the Carrots, potatos and beef back into pan. Mix the Sourdough with the rest of beer to combine without any lumps. Then add to pot. Add the herbs and tomato puree, add salt and pepper and stir. Now bring to a slow simmer and cover with lid. Cook for 3 hours. stir every hour until beef is tender. Then uncover and allow sauce to thicken a little more - about 20 mins.

To make the Dumplings - use your finger tips to incorperate the flour into the butter to make "breadcrumb" texture - they should still be cold when complete and does not need to be perfec.

Add the baking powder, salt and herbs to the flour mixture and gently stir through with a spoon. Mix eggs and sourdough together until well combined. then add to a well in the middle of the flour and mix together. Do not over work the dough, a little rough is ok. Cover with cling flim until stew in ready.

Add the dumplings ontop of the stew (just simmer not boiling) and cover for 10 mins - dont lift the lid as you want to steam to cook them. after 10 mins they should have puffed up into little amazing fluffy balls.

Serve in large bowls with mashed potatos or noddles or tonight we just wanted some plain rice to soak up all those amazing juices. ENJOY:P