| Fast Prep

asian short ribs

prep: 30 minutes | roast: 2 hours 45 minutes at 350°F | MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

• 2½ cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• ¾ cup hoisin sauce
• 3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil (see tip below)
• 1½ tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
• 3½ to 4 lb. beef short ribs, trimmed of fat and cut into serving-size pieces
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1½ cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, or sliced fresh button mushrooms
• Hot cooked rice (optional)
• Green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine the first six ingredients (through cayenne pepper); set aside. Sprinkle ribs with black pepper. In an oven-safe 4- to 5-qt. pot heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ribs, half at a time, and cook until browned on all sides. Remove ribs.

2. Add onion, garlic, and ginger to pot. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Return ribs to pot; add broth mixture. Bring to boiling.

3. Roast, covered, 2 hours, stirring once or twice. Stir in mushrooms. Roast, covered, about 45 minutes more or until ribs are tender. Transfer ribs to a deep platter; cover to keep warm.

4. For sauce, pour cooking liquid into a large glass measuring cup; skim off fat. Return liquid to pot. Bring to boiling. Cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour some of the sauce over ribs and pass remaining sauce. If desired, serve ribs with rice and sprinkle with green onions.

PER SERVING: 316 cal., 16 g fat (5 g sat. fat), 65 mg chol., 1,044 mg sodium, 18 g carb., 1 g fiber, 10 g sugars, 24 g pro.

SMART SHOPPING

Look for hoisin sauce, toasted sesame oil, and Chinese five-spice powder in the Asian foods section of your supermarket or at Asian foods stores. To get the richest flavor, be sure to use dark-color toasted sesame oil rather than the light-color sesame oil, which has not been toasted.