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Jasmine ribs
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 2tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra if needed
- 4 x 250g single beef short ribs, around 20cm long
- 75g piece root ginger, sliced into rounds
- 100g plum sauce
- 1tbsp black cardamom pods, bruised
- 235g tomato ketchup
- 115ml distilled white vinegar
- 270g palm sugar or light soft brown sugar
- 1tbsp loose jasmine leaf tea
- 1tbsp salt
For spicy cucumber salad
- 2tbsp fish sauce
- 1tbsp tamarind paste
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced finely grated zest and juice 1 lime
- 2 Thai red chillies, thinly sliced
- 1 Thai green chilli, thinly sliced
- 2 coriander sprigs, finely chopped
- 8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
To serve
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 2tbsp finely chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts
- 1tsp golden fried shallots
Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy- based saucepan over a high heat. Add half of the ribs and cook for around 5 minutes, until browned and sealed on both sides. Remove from the pan and brown the remaining ribs, adding more oil if needed. Set aside.
Return the ribs to the pan and add the ginger, plum sauce, cardamom, tomato ketchup, vinegar, sugar, jasmine tea, and salt. Pour in 2 litres water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 21⁄2 hours, until the meat is tender. Remove the beef ribs from the pan and set aside.
Continue to cook the sauce in the pan, leaving the lid off, for 30-45 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and thickened to a ketchup consistency. Set aside.
While the sauce is cooking, make the cucumber salad. Put the fish sauce, tamarind concentrate or paste, garlic and lime zest and juice in a small bowl and combine to make a dressing. Put the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to combine, then pour over the dressing. Mix well to combine and set aside. (Alternatively, you can put the chillies and garlic in a large pestle and mortar and pound to a coarse paste. Add the coriander, tomatoes and cucumber and gently pound until crushed to the consistency of a chunky guacamole, then stir in the fish sauce, tamarind, lime zest and juice.)
Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F/Gas 6. When the sauce is ready, put the ribs on a large baking tray and generously brush the sauce over both sides of each. Roast for 10 minutes, turning once and occasionally basting with the sauce until it forms a good glossy glaze.
Place the ribs on a serving platter. Scatter over the spring onion, peanuts and fried shallots, if using, and serve with the salad and bowls of jasmine rice.
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