Hawaiij-Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Kohlrabi Mash

The centerpiece of a Yemenite Shabbat meal is often soup laced with Hawaiij, a yellow, peppery spice mix similar to Indian curry that Yemenites brought with them when they immigrated, first in smaller numbers at the end of the 1800s and then in waves when they were airlifted to a new Israel soon after the founding of the modern state. I love the spice in its traditional application, but why stop there? When rubbed into rich cuts of meat before a long, slow braise in a heavy pot, the turmeric, pepper, and cumin permeate the meat and infuse it with deep flavor. Ask your butcher to cut the short ribs English-style, then again across the bone into large hunks—larger than you might think you need. Long cooking shrinks the meat down, and you want to be left with substantial pieces of meat to swirl around in the rich sauce. The kohlrabi slow cooks at the same time as the ribs; it’s a worthy, earthy, mildly sweet substitute for starchier options (use turnips if you can’t find kohlrabi). Mash them by hand, or whir in the bowl of a food processor for extra smooth results. And here’s a bonus recipe idea: Don’t mash the kohlrabi. Simply let it cool to room temperature and slice it thick. You may never eat potatoes again.

Serves 4 to 6

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 4 hours

SHORT RIBS

4 pounds English-style bone-in short ribs, cut across the bone into 3-inch pieces (ask your butcher to do this)

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed

6 tablespoons Hawaiij

2 jumbo onions, cut into thick slices

5 garlic cloves, peeled

6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour of your choice

2 cups dry red wine

10 sprigs thyme

¼ small bunch parsley

¼ small bunch cilantro

1 bay leaf

4 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth, plus a little more if needed

KOHLRABI MASH (Makes 3 cups)

8 large (4½ to 5 pounds) whole kohlrabi or turnips

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

Schug, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Prepare the short ribs: Fit one rack in the oven to accommodate the pot you’re cooking the ribs in, and the other to fit the baking dish for the kohlrabi (they will cook at the same time). Arrange the short ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, pat dry with paper towels, and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown the ribs until very deeply caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes per flat surface or about 12 minutes total per batch. Move the ribs to a plate and, while still warm, sprinkle both sides with ¼ cup of the hawaiij. Drain and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the Dutch oven (if the oil seems burned, drain it all and use 2 tablespoons of fresh oil), reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, until absorbed into the vegetables, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and cook until only about ½ cup of wine remains, 12 to 13 minutes. Tie the thyme, parsley, cilantro, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine and add to the pot along with the broth, the remaining 2 tablespoons hawaiij, the 2 teaspoons salt, and the 1 teaspoon pepper. Nestle the short ribs in the pot among the vegetables; the liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the meat. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and immediately transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce is reduced and thickened, 2½ to 3 hours.

While the meat is cooking, get the kohlrabi started: Use a sharp knife to cut the rind and fibrous white outer membrane away from the kohlrabi to expose snowy whitish jade-green flesh. Poke a few holes in each kohlrabi with a fork and place them in a large glass or metal baking dish. Drizzle the kohlrabi with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, and shake the pan to coat. Add the broth, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake along with the short ribs until the kohlrabi are tender and golden in spots, 2½ hours. To test for doneness, pierce a kohlrabi with a fork or toothpick; if it yields easily it’s ready; if not, cover it back up and return it to the oven for another 20 minutes. Transfer the kohlrabi and any juices collected in the pan to a large bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1½ teaspoons salt and mash the kohlrabi with a potato masher (or process to your desired texture in a food processor, 20 to 30 seconds).

Spread the kohlrabi mash on a serving platter. Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the herb bundle, and arrange the meat (on the bones or off, up to you), onions, and carrot halves on top of the kohlrabi. Use a spoon to skim any fat you can off the sauce and drizzle the sauce over the platter. Serve with schug, if desired.