For the Love of...: ...Chinese Style Braised Short Ribs

This hearty dish is perfect for the -25oC weather we've been experiencing in Calgary for the last two weeks.  It is delicious over a bed of steamed rice or in a noodle soup.  You can find many of the following ingredients in the oriental section of your grocery store.

Ingredients  (Serves 4)
-3 lbs short ribs cut into 3 inch pieces
-6 carrots roughly chopped
-2 onions roughly chopped
-1 tbsp ginger, roughly chopped
-4 cloves of garlic
-1 cup chicken/beef stock
-3 pcs star anise
-3 tbsp hoisin sauce
-3 tbsp oyster sauce
-2/3 cup dark soy sauce
-1/4 Chinese cooking wine
-1 tbsp five spice powder
-4 tbsp brown sugar
-6 stalks of green onions
-2 tbsp cornstarch

Method

1.  Brown the short ribs on all sides in a large dutch oven and put aside on a plate.

2.  Stir fry garlic and ginger until fragrant in the remaining fat in the dutch oven.  Add onions and carrots, cook for 5 minutes.

3.  Deglaze with stock and add in soy sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, cooking wine, star anise, five spice and brown sugar. 

4.  Return short ribs into the pot, making sure they are nestled into the bottom.  Add enough water so the liquid reaches 3/4 of way to the top of the meat. 

5.  Braise with lid on, for 3 hours at 350 degrees in the oven or over low heat on the stove top.

6.  Remove short ribs and carrots to a serving dish.  Strain the remaining liquid and skim off excess fat.  Thicken the liquid with a cornstarch slurry (dissolve cornstarch in a few tbsp of water before adding to pot) over a medium heat.  Add green onions to the sauce.

7.  Serve short ribs and carrots over rice or noodles, pour over as much sauce as desired.

Enjoy!

Next: ...Rillette de porc