The greasy spoon staple brownsauce is far more complex than we often give it credit for, packed with tangy, fruity flavour that works really well in South-East Asian dishes, like these tasty short-rib pancakes.
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Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
35 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs 50 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 25 mins
Cal/Serv:
805
Ingredients
2Tbsp.
vegetable oil
1
.75-2kg beef short ribs
1
onion, finely chopped
3
garlic cloves, crushed
3
star anise
1
cinnamon stick
50g
light brown soft sugar
3Tbsp.
fish sauce
2Tbsp.
soy sauce
5Tbsp.
brown sauce
1l
hot beef stock
2tsp.
cornflour
Juice 1 lime
2
carrots, peeled and julienned
1
bunch spring onions, finely sliced
Handful of coriander and mint leaves
Chilli oil to finish (optional)
For the pancakes
200g
rice flour
2Tbsp.
cornflour
1tsp.
ground turmeric
200ml
coconut milk
1tsp.
coconut oil
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan) mark 3. Heat
vegetable oil in a large
casserole dish (that has
a lid) and fry short ribs
for 4-5min, turning until
golden brown on all
sides. Remove to a plate.
Step 2Add onion to casserole
and fry gently for 4-5min,
until slightly softened.
Add garlic, star anise
and cinnamon; cook for
1min. Add the brown
sugar, fish sauce, soy
and brown sauce and
continue to cook, stirring
occasionally, until sugar
has dissolved and the
liquid starts to bubble.
Add beef stock and bring
to a simmer. Return
ribs to the casserole,
pushing them down so
the meat is covered in
the liquid, then cover and
transfer to oven for 3hr.
Step 3Meanwhile, make the
pancake batter. In a
medium bowl, mix rice
flour, cornfl our, turmeric
and 1tsp salt. In a jug,
whisk coconut milk
with 200ml water, then
slowly whisk into the dry
ingredients until you have
a smooth batter. Cover
and chill for about 2hr.
Step 4Remove the casserole
from oven, uncover and
leave to rest for 5min.
Transfer ribs to a board,
discard bones and shred
meat with two forks. Skim
off fat from the sauce (there will be quite a lot)
and return pan to the
hob. In a small bowl, mix
cornfl our with a little cold
water to a smooth paste,
then add to the sauce
and bubble for 3-4min,
until thickened. Add lime
juice, return meat to pan
and keep warm while you
make the pancakes.
Step 5Heat the coconut oil in
a non-stick frying pan over
low-medium heat and
add a ladle of pancake
mixture, swirling to coat
the surface in a very thin
layer. Cook for 1-2min,
until golden underneath
and the top has dried
out, then flip and cook
for another 45sec-1min.
Remove to a plate and
cover. Repeat with
remaining batter to make
12 pancakes, layering
the cooked pancakes
between sheets of
baking parchment so
they don’t stick.
Step 6Serve the shredded
short ribs and sauce with
the pancakes, carrots,
spring onions and herbs,
plus chilli oil to drizzle
over, if liked.
If you prefer a fish filling for your pancakes, then give our giant banh khot a try!
Sarah is Good Housekeeping's Kitchen and Homes Director, looking after all things food and homes for the brand. Sarah started her career in journalism, then retrained as a chef 15 years ago following a lifelong dream to work in food. Since retraining, she has worked as a private chef, assisted on tv commercials, created recipes for some of the country's leading brands and became the go-to birthday and wedding cake baker in her friends and family network. In 2025, she was shortlisted for Cookery Writer of the Year by the Guild of Food Writers
