This recipe for lemongrass and ginger beef short ribs is a sure way to impress guests with tender beef and lots of flavour.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 40 ml vegetable oil
  • 6 beef short ribs
  • 130 g palm sugar, grated
  • 1125 ml chicken stock
  • 60 ml fish sauce
  • 60 ml light soy sauce
  • 40 ml chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar)

Daikon salad

  • 2 long red chillies, seeds removed
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 3 tsp palm sugar, grated
  • 1 tsp thick tamarind water
  • 250 g daikon cut into julienne
  • 1 tbsp deep fried shallots
  • 2 tbsp mirco basil

Spice paste

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 6-8 birds eye chillies
  • 8 cm ginger
  • 5 cm galangal
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only
  • 5 red eschallots
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 150ºC.

Step 2

To make spice paste, using a mortar and pestle, pound all ingredients, except coriander, together to form a smooth paste, stir through coriander and set aside.

Step 3

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat until almost smoking. Cook ribs, in batches, for 5-6 minutes until caramelised on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Step 4

Reduce heat to medium and tip out all but 3 tbsp oil from frying pan. Add spice paste and cook, stirring, for 7-8 minutes until aromatic and starting to darken. Add palm sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes until palm sugar begins to caramelise. Add chicken stock, fish sauce and black vinegar and bring to the boil.

Step 5

Arrange ribs in a deep roasting tray and pour over hot liquid. Cover surface with a piece of baking paper then wrap tightly in foil. Transfer ribs to oven and cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours or until meat almost falls off the bone. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temp 3-4 hours or overnight.

Step 6

Remove ribs from braising liquid, slide out bone and trim to neaten. Strain liquid through a fine strainer, discard solids. Skim fat from surface, transfer to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for 20-25 mins until reduced to a glaze consistency.

Step 7

Meanwhile, to make daikon salad pound 1 red chilli with garlic in a mortar and pestle until smooth. Add palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and tamarind and mix to combine. Finely slice remaining chilli and combine with daikon and mirco basil. Toss salad with enough dressing to lightly coat.

Step 8

Preheat oven grill to high. Place ribs on a rack and baste with glaze. Cook under grill for 4-5 minutes, turning and basting until crisp.

Step 9

To serve place a cleaned bone on a plate then balance a rib on top. Drizzle with remaining glaze and serve with daikon salad.