Braised Beef Ribs in Spiced Orange Tamarind Sauce

 

Photography by: Thomas Wenger

 
VN:R_U [1.9.9_1125]
  • Prep:
    20 min
  • Cook:
    120 min

Dietary:

Serves: 

8 servings

Season:

Ingredients

  • 4 kilograms beef ribs with bone the meatier the better
  • 3 piece onions medium
  • 3 piece carrots
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • iodized salt
  • 2 piece bay leaf
  • 10 piece black peppercorns crushed

For the Sauce

  • 210 millilitres water
  • 150 grams sugar
  • 400 millilitres malt vinegar
  • 120 millilitres light soya sauce
  • 120 millilitres sweet dark soya sauce Indonesian type, kecap manis
  • 1 piece lemon cut in half
  • 2 piece oranges cut in half
  • 200 grams tamarind use dried tamarind in bricks, tamarind pulp can be substituted
  • 8 piece cardamom
  • 2 piece star anise
  • 2 liters brown stock
  • 1 to 2 piece red chillis deseeded

For Garnish

  • sesame seeds
  • red bell pepper deseeded, shredded
  • spring onions shredded

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.

February 23, 2011, By Thomas Wenger

Method

  1. Ask your butcher to cut the ribs across the ribs approximately 3 inch wide.
  2. 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.
  3. Repeat the step above without draining the ribs. Add all vegetables, seasoning and spices and simmer for approximately 1-½ hours or until the meat is starting to become soft.
  4. 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.
  5. 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 color and then add the malt vinegar
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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 corn or potato starch.
  9. Submerge the shredded leek or bell peppers in ice water until the crisp up. Toast the sesame seeds lightly on the oven.
  10. 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.

Braised Beef Ribs in Spiced Orange Tamarind Sauce / / Thomas Wenger 359