A gentle broth to soothe the senses, perfect for days when you’re feeling a little under the weather. This recipe takes its inspiration from Thai and Vietnamese beef noodle soups, which bring the comfort of something nourishing to heal the body and soul.
Serve with a simple bowl of jasmine rice and a side of stir-fried “yau mak” (lettuce) with garlic.
Ingredients
- 750g beef short ribs
- 3 stalks coriander, stem and root
- 2-3 stalks coriander leaves, finely sliced
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1cm ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 1/2 brown onion, cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 medium tomato, quartered or cut into wedges
Method
- Using a pestle and mortar, pound the coriander with the garlic and ginger until a rough paste is achieved. Set aside.
- Add the beef short ribs to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add cold water to cover and bring to a gentle boil for 10-15 mins, or until the impurities rise to the top layer.
- At this stage, remove the short ribs and allow them to rest briefly in a bowl of water. Turn the stove off and pour away the liquid and impurities from the pot. Wash the pot before the next step.
- Return the short ribs to the fresh cooking pot. Add the coriander, garlic and ginger paste. Add the whole peppercorns, star anise, cloves and cinnamon.
- Cover with 1.5 litres of water and add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to a low simmer.
- Add the light soy, dark soy, fish sauce, and Shaoxing wine, then cook gently for 2-2.5 hours covered or half covered, depending on the intensity of the boil. It should simmer gently, so if it’s a roiling boil, leave the lid half covered.
- When the meat is soft or nearly falling off the bone, remove the short ribs from the broth. Separate the meat from the bone with a knife and dispose of the bones.
- Return the meat to the low-simmering broth. Add the tomatoes and allow to simmer for a further 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly broken down.
- Turn the heat off, then garnish the beautiful broth with fresh coriander leaves to finish.
@theorangesieve serves up recipes from the heart, inspired by travels near and far. It’s all about food that humbly invites you to discover the truth about flavour – the people, the culture and the stories behind them… the kind of food that leaves you with a smile for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on.