Tomato Braised Beef Short Ribs (番茄炖牛小排)

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Tomato Braised Beef Short Ribs (番茄炖牛小排)

Tender, succulent beef short ribs braised in a rich tomato broth. This comforting dish brings out the best in two everyday ingredients.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time2 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Wei Guo

Ingredients

2 lb ripe tomatoes
3 lb beef short ribs or chunks of other well-marbled cuts of beef
1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
6 cloves garlic lightly crushed and kept whole
6 slices ginger
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
1 tbsp tomato paste see note 1
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 medium carrots about 1 lb (450g), cut into chunks
½ tsp ground white pepper
cilantro aka coriander, to garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the tomatoes

Score a shallow cross on the bottom of each tomato. Submerge them in just boiled water for 1 to 2 minutes, until the skin starts to lift around the cuts. Peel off and discard the skin.
Finely dice about two thirds of the tomatoes. Cut the rest into wedges.

Blanch the beef

If the beef short ribs are very thick, halve them into thinner pieces. For pieces with bones, cut through the meat parallel to the bone, creating one piece with bone and another without.
Put the them into a pot. Add plenty of cold water to cover them fully. Bring to a full boil, then simmer for 3 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Drain the beef and shake off any excess water.

Sear the beef

Heat oil in a pot with a thick bottom. Add the blanched beef and sear over high heat until lightly browned. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for about 2 minutes.

Braised the beef (see note 2 for Instant Pot method )

Pour in enough hot water to just cover the beef. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, star anise, light soy sauce, sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover with a tight lid and leave to simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, until the beef becomes tender (see note 2).

Finish with vegetables

Stir in the carrot. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes over high heat.
Uncover and add the tomato wedges. Cook for a further 3 minutes until the carrot softens and the braising liquid is slightly reduced.
Season with ground white pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Notes

1. Tomato paste, also known as tomato purée, is a concentrated tomato product. If unavailable, you can replace it with tomato ketchup. In this case, use three times the amount and omit the sugar listed in the recipe.

2. Instant Pot Method: After searing, transfer the beef and aromatics to the Instant Pot. Add the all the ingredients for braising the beef, using slightly less water. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release before releasing the rest manually. Then use the sauté function to finish cooking the carrots and tomato wedges as instructed.

Nutrition