Slow-cooker gochujang short ribs with apple slaw

• vegetable oil↗1 tbsp ст. л.
• large beef short ribs↗4

  (about 2kg)

• garlic cloves↗2
• gochujang↗5 tbsp ст. л.
• dark soy sauce↗3 tbsp ст. л.
• dark brown soft sugar↗3 tbsp ст. л.
• cinnamon stick↗1
• star anise2
• coriander seeds↗1 tsp ч. л.
• shaohsing rice wine↗75ml мл
• red onions↗2

  quartered

• thumb-sized piece of ginger

  peeled and roughly chopped

• beef stock↗400ml мл
• cornflour↗1 tbsp ст. л.
• spring onions↗2

  finely sliced

• cooked rice↗

  to serve

• apples↗2

  halved, cored and cut into thin matchsticks

• lemon↗1

  juiced

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over a high heat. Season the short ribs all over with salt, then cook in the pan for 8-10 mins until deep brown on all sides. (You may need to do this in batches.) Add a small splash of water to the pan in between batches, and pour the residual liquid into a small heatproof bowl. Set aside.

2. 2

   Lightly bash the garlic cloves with the skin still on and set the slow cooker to low. Mix the garlic with the gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, coriander seeds and rice wine. Tip into the slow cooker along with the red onions and ginger. Add the ribs, then pour over the stock. Cover with the lid and cook for 4 hrs 30 mins, or until the meat is falling off the bone.

3. 3

   In the final 10 mins of cooking time, mix 1 tbsp of the reserved cooking liquid with the cornflour in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Add this to the slow cooker and mix well. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add more soy sauce, if needed. Cover and set aside. Make the slaw by mixing the apple with the lemon juice and season to taste.

4. 4

   Scoop the garlic cloves out of the slow cooker, discard the skins, then stir the garlic back in. Serve the ribs with the spring onions sprinkled over, alongside the rice and slaw.