INGREDIENTS:

6 bone-in beef short ribs

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, cut in a few pieces

1 onion, large dice

1 star anise pod

8 szechuan peppercorns

2 T hoisin

3 T rice vinegar

1 tsp 5 spice powder

4 C beef stock

¼ C diced pineapple

Wonton wrappers

Vegetable oil for frying

Dipping sauce:

2 T braising liquid

1 T lemon juice

1 T lime juice

1 T pineapple juice

2 T soy

1 T maple syrup

STEPS:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• In a little vegetable oil, brown short ribs on all sides. Set aside

• Add garlic, onion, carrot, star anise and peppercorns and sauté until fragrant (a couple of minutes)

• Stir in  hoisin, rice vinegar, and five spice powder.

• Return short ribs to the pot and pour beef stock over them until almost covered. Bring to a boil. Cover and put in oven.  Cook til meat is falling off the bone, about 2-3 hours. 

• When meat is done, remove from the oven and cool.   Take the meat out of the sauce and shred into a bowl, discarding any bones and fat.  Add the diced pineapple.  

• Strain the sauce.  Combine 2 tablespoons of the braising liquid with the other dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.

• Put about a teaspoon of meat in the center of a wonton wrapper.  Wet the sides with a little water, fold the wrapper and seal, making a triangle. Continue this until all your wontons are made.  Keep the wontons under a dishtowel or plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.
  At this point, you can hold the wontons in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, wrapped in plastic until ready to fry.  

• When ready to serve, heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees.  Carefully place wontons in oil and fry until golden brown.  Drain on paper towel and serve immediately, with dipping sauce.