Name: Sichuan peppercorn short ribs
Total time: 6 h
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 4 beef short ribs; 1 tbsp sichuan peppercorns; 2 tbsp cumin seeds; 1 tbsp dried red chilli flakes; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce; 3 tbsp black vinegar; 100g soft light brown sugar; 750ml chicken stock; 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger, peeled and sliced; 8 cloves garlic, bashed; a small bunch coriander, stalks only, plus leaves to serve; 2 cucumbers; 6 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 2 tbsp chiu chow chilli oil; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

A plate with a yellow rim on a blue tiled background, filled with a flaking rib and chunks of cucumber and chilli

4 beef short ribs
1 tbsp sichuan peppercorns
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp dried red chilli flakes
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp black vinegar
100g soft light brown sugar
750ml chicken stock
2 thumb-sized pieces ginger
peeled and sliced
8 cloves garlic
bashed
a small bunch coriander
stalks only, plus leaves to serve

SMACKED CUCUMBERS

2 cucumbers
6 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp chiu chow chilli oil
3 cloves garlic
finely chopped

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 2. Season the short ribs really well and put into a large roasting tin that fits them all snugly. Toast the peppercorns and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until smelling toasty, then crush lightly with a pestle and mortar. Add to the roasting tin along with the dried chilli flakes. Whisk together the soy, black vinegar, sugar and stock, then tip into the tin. Tuck in the ginger slices, garlic and coriander stalks. Cover with a layer of baking paper, then seal the tin with a sheet of foil. Bake for 5 hours until the short ribs are meltingly tender, but not falling apart.
step 2
Take out of the oven, leave to cool slightly, then remove the short ribs to a tray or plate. Pour the braising liquid into a large, shallow pan and cook over a medium heat until reduced to a glaze. Remove the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks.
step 3
For the smacked cucumbers, use a rolling pin to bash the cucumbers until they split and soften. Cut in half lengthways, then in half again and chop into chunky pieces. Tip into a bowl and toss with the rice vinegar, sugar, chilli oil, garlic and a big pinch of salt. Leave to marinate for an hour
step 4
Heat a barbecue to high. Carefully put the ribs onto the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until caramelised, carefully turning so they don’t fall apart. Brush liberally with the sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes but keep an eye on them as the glaze can burn. Serve the ribs with plenty of the left-over sauce, the cucumbers and a few coriander leaves.