Slow-braised Star Anise and Lemongrass Beef Ribs

This is an incredibly popular dish and definitely one to serve as part of a feast. We served ours with lotus leaf buns. Note that this recipe is best started a day or two before serving.

⅓ cup oyster sauce ½ cup light soy sauce 1 cup Chinese Shaoxing rice wine ½ cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons five-spice powder 2 large chillis, roughly sliced

2 large thumbs ginger, finely sliced

5 cloves garlic, crushed 4 whole star anise

Mix all of the ingredients (except the ribs and cornflour) in a large roasting dish. Cut the ribs apart and place flesh-side down in the marinade, in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 6 hours). Remove the meat from the fridge half an hour before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Roast (still covered with the foil) for 4 hours.

Remove the foil and very gently turn the ribs flesh-side up and cook a further ½ hour. Allow to cool on the bench for ½ an hour, then gently remove the ribs from the sauce and place on a baking paper-lined tray.

Strain the marinade sauce into a saucepan and refrigerate the ribs and sauce separately for 3 hours (or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

4 stalks lemongrass

(outer leaves removed, bashed with a rolling pin)

3 kilograms beef short ribs 3 teaspoons cornflour

To serve

⅓ cup microgreens

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Use a spoon to lift the fat off the chilled sauce and discard it. Bring the sauce to a simmer over a gentle heat. Whisk the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk into the sauce. Heat a further 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Gently put the ribs flesh-side up in a large roasting dish and cover with half of the sauce.

Cover with tinfoil and cook 45 minutes, remove the foil and cook a further 15 minutes. Serve drizzled with the remaining sauce, garnished with spring onions and microgreens. Serves 8