Beef Short Ribs with Star Anise

I love to cook Asian food, favourites being Sweet and Sour Roast Chicken and Baked Honey Sesame Chicken as seen in previous blogs, so to celebrate Chinese New Year, the year of the dragon, check out this slow cooked short ribs recipe. Instead of putting in the oven for 3.5 hours, you could cook on high on a slow cooker for 8 hours.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 beef short ribs (about 1kg)
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 40g fresh root ginger, grated
• 3 star anise
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Chinese rice wine (optional)
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 250ml beef stock
• Fresh mint and coriander leaves, plus sliced red chilli, to serve
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Season and toss the beef ribs in the flour.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides, then transfer to a plate; set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the casserole dish. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and sauté for 10 minutes over a medium heat.
5. Boil the kettle.
6. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions; cook for 2 minutes, then add the spices and stir-fry for 1 minute.
7. Pour in 250ml just-boiled water and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the dish, scraping the bottom to release any meaty bits.
8. Add the soy sauce, rice wine (if using), vinegar and stock. Stir well, then return the short ribs to the dish, basting in the juices. Cover and transfer to the oven for about 3 hours 30 minutes, until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone.
9. Scatter over the mint, coriander and chilli and serve with jasmine rice, warning everyone about the whole spices.