Lu

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the short ribs for 3 or 4 minutes. Red-cooked meats are blanched before braising to purge impurities, which float on the water as froth. Rinse the short ribs in a colander with cold running water and set them aside.

2. Heat equal amounts of peanut oil and rock sugar in a wok or clay pot on the stove over high heat. Cook until the sugar melts, then add the short ribs and sear until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn the short ribs frequently while frying so the sugar doesn't have a chance to scorch.

3. Pour a mixture of equal parts rock sugar, soy sauce and red rice wine in the clay pot or wok and stir. Usually a cup or two of sugar, soy sauce and wine, combined, is enough for two or three short ribs.

4. Add water to the sauce until it's about 2 inches deep in the wok. Let the sauce come to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.

5. Add five or six select aromatics to the wok. You have a lot of aromatics to choose from when going the Asian route, but you'll almost always see star anise pods, crushed garlic, a small piece of cinnamon bark, black cardamom and smashed ginger -- a small piece of peeled ginger smashed flat with the side of the knife -- in red-cooked beef. Other commonly used aromatics include white peppercorns, lemongrass, tangerine peel, scallions, Szechuan pepper and bird's eye chilis.

6. Add the short ribs and braise them for about 2 1/2 hours, adding water as needed so they stay at least halfway covered at all times. Turn the short ribs over in the sauce every 45 minutes or so.

7. Add sliced root vegetables to the braise. Red-cooked beef typically uses rolled-cut carrots as the root vegetable.

8. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until the short ribs are tender and cut easily with a fork. Transfer the short ribs to a plate. Take the aromatics out of the sauce using a slotted spoon and discard.

9. Set the heat to high and boil the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes. Return the short ribs to the wok or clay pot.

10. Stir the short ribs to cover them with sauce and cook until heated through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the short ribs over rice or greens.

Nimono

1. Heat equal amounts of peanut oil and rock sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until the sugar melts. Sear the short ribs on all sides.

2. Add a mixture of equal parts rock sugar, soy sauce and dashi to the pan and stir.

3. Add water to the sauce until it's deep enough to cover the short ribs. Let the sauce come to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.

4. Add chopped leeks and the short ribs to the pan. Place a drop lid over the pan. A drop lid is simple a wooden lid that's smaller than the pan so it touches the food. You can substitute any lid as long as it's smaller than the pan.

5. Add the short ribs and braise them for about 3 hours. Remove the short ribs and boil the sauce until it reduces to about 3/4 cup. Serve the short ribs and sauce over sticky rice.