Season ribs with salt and pepper.

Put a large casserole pot on a high heat. Add brown sugar to pot and melt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it darkens and starts to smoke. About six minutes.

When sugar is nearly black, add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Stir to mix.

Add the ribs to the pot. Working in batches. Stirring each time to cover them with blackened sugar, then allowing the, to cook, turning occasionally, until they are well browned. Remove the ribs and keep warm.

Add half of the onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with the thyme, the allspice and a third of the spring onions, and string to combine. Allow to cook untill softned.

Return the ribs to the pot along with any accumulated juices and pour in the stock so that the ribs are almost submerged.

Add remaining onions, garlic and ginger and chillies to the pot, along with another third of the spring onions.

Stire to combine and continue to cook untill the meat is yielding and loose on the bone, aproximately one hour longer.

Remove approximately one cup of liquid from pot and place in a small bowl.

Add flour to this liquid and stir to combine, working out any lumps with back of a spoon.

Add this slurry to the pot and slong with ketchup, then stir to combine and allow to cook a further 15 minutes or so.

Fold butter beans into the stew and allow there to heat through. Scatter remaining spring onions over the top.