Recipe: Coconut-lemongrass braised beef short ribs and lemon rice

Dirty Apron Cooking School chef David Robertson shows how to make a delicious dish that is perfect for a cool fall day.

Coconut-lemongrass braised beef short ribs:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 lbs boneless beef short ribs

3 shallots, chopped

2 stalks lemongrass

3 tbsp chopped ginger

6 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbsp red currey paste

4 cups full-fat coconut cream

3 tbsp fish sauce

10 kaffir lime leaves,

¼ cup palm or brown sugar

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp oyster sauce

Steamed rice, ready to serve

Method:

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Generously season beef with salt and pepper. Add beef to pan and sear for a minute. Turn and sear for another minute. Repeat until all four sides are seared. Turn off heat. Transfer beef to a heavy bottom, oven-proof sauce pan or Dutch oven. In the same frying pan, cook, shallots, lemon grass, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat. Add in garlic and curry paste, turn the heat back to high and sautee for 30 seconds. Stir in coconut cream and fish sauce, until coconut cream is fully incorporated. Add kaffir leaves, palm or brown sugar, lime juice, and oyster sauce and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Pour mixture over beef. Cover pan with lid or aluminum foil and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until fork tender. Serve with rice.

Lemon Rice:

Ingredients:

320 mL cooked basmati rice

One piece of lemon zest plus juice

15 mL grapeseed oil

5 mL black mustard seeds

3 mL cashews

1 mL ground turmeric

10 mL red chilli flakes

10 mL minced ginger

10 pieces curry leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put cooked rice into a medium size bowl and season to taste with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and grapeseed oil. Toss gently and set aside.

Heat pan over medium low heat. Add grapeseed oil to pan with cashews and toast lightly. Then add mustard, seeds, consistently, stirring until the mustard seeds pop. Quickly add ginger, chilli flakes, and curry leaves. Once curry leaves are crisp, add turmeric, and turn off the heat off. Keep stirring to keep turmeric and other ingredients from burning.

Transfer the rice from the bowl into the pan. Gently mix together in season to taste. Served hot or cold.