In a small bowl, add in 1/2 cup of annatto seeds and 1 cup of hot water. Mix it around to ensure the annatto seeds are thoroughly soaked. Cover with plastic wrap, and set this aside at room temperature and let it soak for 2 hours minimum, or you can even leave it overnight.

Take a medium-sized skillet, add in 1/4 cup of glutinous (sticky) rice, and toast it over medium heat. Stir it while heating to evenly brown it on all sides. When the rice grains are browned, transfer to a clean bowl and let it cool to room temperature.

In the same skillet, add in 1/2 cup of unsalted peanuts. Like with the rice, stir it over medium heat to lightly toast all sides. Transfer to a clean bowl and let it cool to room temperature.

When the rice has cooled, grind it up in a spice grinder or Nutribullet till it's very fine. Do the same thing to the toasted peanuts. Set the toasted ground rice and toasted ground peanuts aside.

Preheat your oven to 325F (165C). Take a 5.5-quart Dutch oven, and over the stove-top, heat over high heat for 3 minutes. Add in 3 tbsp of vegetable oil and let the oil get very hot. When the oil is very hot, but not smoking, sear 4 lbs. of oxtail, doing this in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding. Sear each side of the oxtail pieces for 1 minute, allowing all the surfaces to caramelize. Once the oxtail pieces are seared on all sides, transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels, and do the same thing with the second batch. Set these aside to drain on the paper towels.

When all the meat is seared, turn the flame down to medium, add in 1 yellow onion, diced, 1 bulb of garlic, minced, and 2 bay leaves. Sauté for 5 minutes, till the garlic is browned and the onions have sweat down. Try to scrape and deglaze any browned bits on the bottom and sides while sautéing the onions and garlic. After 5 minutes, add in 3 tbsp of soy sauce and 3 tbsp of white vinegar, and mix it in to combine. Let the liquids cook off for 2 minutes.

[TO NOTE: traditionally fish sauce is added. But since I'm allergic to shellfish, I use a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar as a substitute]

When the liquids have cooked off for 2 minutes, add in 8 cups of low-sodium beef broth and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is simmering, add the seared pieces of oxtail back into the pot, making sure all the pieces are submerged in the braising liquid. Cover tightly with the Dutch oven lid, transfer the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and braise the oxtail at 325 F (165 C) for 3 hours.

About 1 hour before the 3-hour braising is done, prep the vegetables to be served on the side. Set up a steamer for the vegetables. When the water is boiling, steam 2 thin eggplants that have been chopped into 1-inch pieces for 8 minutes. Remove from the steamer and set aside.

In the same steamer, add in 12 oz of green beans and steam for 5 minutes. Remove from the steamer and set aside.

In the same steamer, add in 2 bunches of baby bok choy, and steam for 3 minutes. Remove from the steamer and set aside.

After 3 hours of braising the oxtail, remove the Dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid, and let the oxtail rest in their juices for 10 minutes. Remove the oxtail from the braising liquids onto a clean tray and set them aside. Remove and discard the bay leaves at this point.

Into the pot with the braising liquid, add in the toasted ground rice, toasted ground peanuts, 3 tbsp of dark brown sugar, and using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the annatto water into the pot without adding the annatto seeds. This will add color and a subtle flavor to the dish - annatto is known to have a subtle flavor of being slightly peppery, sweet, and nutty (a little bit like nutmeg).

Whisk these ingredients in thoroughly so that everything is well combined and the mixture homogeneous, avoiding any lumps. Turn the heat on to medium heat, and let it come to a boil, continue to whisk to remove any lumps. Be sure to mix and scrape the bottom to prevent the ground rice and peanuts from settling and burning at the bottom. Once it's simmering, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add additional salt and pepper to taste - I like to add in 1/2 tsp of kosher salt and 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper. Mix these in until well combined. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce a bit.

Plate the oxtail and peanut sauce with the steamed vegetables on the side. Serve over freshly steamed jasmine rice. Enjoy!