Asian-Style Braised Sticky Short Ribs with Kumquat-Scallion-Chile Rice

5 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 4-ounce portions

1 cup shoyu

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

3 (5-inch) stalk lemongrass, halved and smashed
4 whole star anise
1 3-inch cinnamon stick

2 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 quart water

1/2 cup sliced green onion bottoms, white part only

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Jasmine Rice, for serving (see below for an alternative)

2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind, for serving

Sliced green onion tops, sliced kumquats and/or Chinese chive blossoms, optional for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a wide stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the short ribs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, water, green onion bottoms, crushed red pepper, and 2 tbsp of the orange juice. Make sure that the stockpot is deep enough so that the short ribs are submerged in the liquid.

Bake the short ribs, covered, for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and cover to keep warm. Increase the oven temperature to 425 F.

Drain the fat off of the cooking liquid and discard. Place the remaining braising juices in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid until only about 1 1/4 cups remain. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer, discarding the solids. Return to sauce pan, stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of orange juice and the lemon juice, and thicken with a little cornstarch dissolved in water.

Return the short ribs and the reduced sauce to the stockpot or Dutch oven, coating the short ribs well with the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes, until the short ribs are heated through and slightly glazed. Serve hot over jasmine rice. Season each portion with the orange zest and garnish with the green onions if desired.

An alternative...to emphasize the orange citrus flavor from the sauce and add a little heat for contrast. Throw a handful of kumquats into a food processor and chopped them up very fine then add a couple of handfuls of finely sliced scallions and a diced hot chili pepper. Add to the rice a few minutes before it was done.