Introduction, Serves 6
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- ¾ tablespoon black peppercorns
- ¾ tablespoon cumin seeds
- ¾ tablespoon coriander seeds
- ¾ tablespoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ cinnamon stick, snapped in half lengthwise
- 1 dried red chile (1 to 1 1/2 inches in length; )
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 5 pounds meaty short ribs
- Freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup canola oil
- 11 garlic cloves, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise (about 1 head)
- 4 cups chopped onion (about 2 large)
- 1 large leek, tough leaves discarded and the rest chopped and washed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 cups chopped carrot (about 2 large)
- 2 ½ cups chopped celery, including the leaves
- 1 ½ bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger (slice against the grain)
- 4 cups diced seeded tomatoes (about 5 medium) or 3 cups chopped canned tomatoes
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
- 2 tablespoons jaggery or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Tamarind Paste
Directions
Make the spice blend
Grind the peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cinnamon stick, and chile in an electric coffee/spice grinder until ground fine. Combine the ground spices with the paprika and turmeric in a small bowl.
Braise the short ribs
- Trim all but a thin layer of fat from the short ribs. (That fat will help keep the meat juicy and give the sauce body.) Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in an dutch oven ( 7- to 8-quart pot) over moderately high heat until shimmering and sear the ribs in 2 to 3 batches (don’t crowd the pot), until nicely browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove the short ribs and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add the garlic, onion, leek, carrots, celery, bay leaves, cloves, and ginger to the pot and cook over moderately high heat until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, spice blend, red wine vinegar, red wine, and cook 5 minutes. Return the short ribs to pot, nestling them in between the vegetables, and add the stock. Stir in the jaggery and tamarind paste and season with salt.
- Bring the braise to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Tightly cover the pot with a lid and cook in the middle of the oven 2 hours. Check the short ribs periodically; if the liquid reduces so that more than the top of the meat is exposed, add enough water to just barely cover the meat.
- Return the braise to the stovetop and bring to a boil. Skim the fat from the surface with a ladle. Turn off the heat and remove the short ribs from braising liquid.
- Strain the braising liquid through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids with the back of a ladle, and skim the fat from the strained liquid. Put the short ribs in the bowl of sauce and cool completely, uncovered. Refrigerate the short ribs in the sauce, covered, at least 2 days and up to 3.
- Reheat the short ribs in the sauce over moderate heat before serving.
End with a question here