Food Wine Sleep

Ingredients List

For the Ribs
4 kg (8.8 lbs) Beef ribs, the more meat the better. Ask your butcher to cut them across the ribs about 3 inches (7.5 cm) thick with at least 3 to 4 bones on it.
3 pc medium onions
3 pc carrots
1 stalk celery
10 g (1/3 oz) thyme sprigs
2 pc bay leaf
Iodized salt
Crushed black ppercorn
For the sauce
210 ml (7 oz fl) water
150 g (5 oz) sugar
400 ml (13 oz fl) malt vinegar
120 ml (4 fl oz) light soy sauce
120 ml (4 fl oz) dark sweet soy sauce (Indonesian, Kecap manis type)
2 pc oranges, cut in half
1 pc lemon, cut in half
200 g (6 2/3 oz) tamarind, use the dried tamarind in bricks if at all available, otherwise tamarind pulp will be a good substitute
1-2 pc red finger chilies, cut in half and deseeded
2 pc star anise
10 pc cardamom seeds
2 lit (2 quarts) brown beef or veal stock
shredded leek or spring onions
sesame seeds
shredded red bell peppers

Recipe Description

Back some years ago, I was working with Liana Doyle and very talented chef and great personal friend. Liana had been working in the USA for some years before making her way to Asia via Paris where she headed the culinary team at a typical French Bistro for some time. This recipe sort of reflects her career and her cooking style up to that point; a Southern US staple (beef ribs), a traditional French basic cooking method (braising) with an Asian twist. Although I lost contact with Liana a few years ago, I have very fond memories of her as a culinary colleague and friend. This recipe however, of her 'tamarind ribs' will stay with me for a long, long time.

Method Description

In a large soup pot, bring mildly salted water to boil, add the ribs to the boiling water, bring back to boil then drain thoroughly.
Repeat the step above without draining the ribs. Add all vegetables, seasoning and spices and simmer for approximately 1-1/2 hours or until the meat is starting to become soft. Remove the ribs from the stock and lay them out flat, with the ribs on the bottom, in an ovenproof braising pan with lid. Strain the stock and save it. This stock will be a great base for a beef broth or a consommé.
Combine the sugar and the water for the sauce in a saucepan and bring to boil. Boil until the mixture caramelized to a light brown, golden colour and then add the malt vinegar
Add all other ingredients; bring the mixture back to boil. Lower heat to a light simmer and reduce the sauce to approximately half of the original volume or until the consistency thickens slightly.
Add the brown beef stock and bring to boil. Pour the sauce over the beef ribs, put the lid on the braising pot and place in the preheated oven by approximate 140 C for another hour or until the ribs are very soft and tender and the meat is just about to fall off the bones.
Remove the ribs form the pot, strain the sauce and bring the sauce one more time to boil. Skim off excess fat, adjust seasoning and if needed thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch or maizena.
Submerge the shredded leek or bell peppers in ice water until the crisp up. Toast the sesame seeds lightly on the oven.
Place the ribs on the serving dish, cover with a generous amount of sauce, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and top with the crisp shredded vegetable.