Red Curry Bison Short Ribs With Baby Bok Choy

11/2-2 teaspoons red curry paste (more or less to taste)

3 cloves garlic

3 1/8-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger

½

cup coarsely chopped cilantro stems plus 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves, divided

6 scallions, coarsely chopped

½

cup water

2 teaspoons canola oil

3 pounds bone-in bison short ribs or 2 pounds boneless, trimmed

2 cups thinly sliced red onion

1½

cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup lite coconut milk

6 baby bok choy, cut in half, or 3 regular bok choy, quartered

Ground black pepper, to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine the curry paste, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, scallions and water. Blend until they form a loose paste. Add more water if the mixture is too dense to blend. Set aside.

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil. Add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes total.

Stir in the red curry mixture, onion, broth, fish sauce and lime juice. Bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, turning the ribs every 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, 2 to 21/2 hours.

Transfer the ribs to a plate, then cover to keep warm.

Add the tomatoes and coconut milk to the broth in the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add bok choy, then cover and cook until the thick ends of the bok choy can be easily pierced with a fork, about 10-20 minutes. Season with pepper and more lime juice, if desired. Serve topped with cilantro leaves.

Cook's note: Bison short ribs can be found at specialty meat markets and online. For bone-in short ribs, both English-style (a single bone with a chunk of meat attached) and flanken-style (thinner cut with 3 to 4 ribs per strip) will work for this recipe. Remove any silver skin - the tough, silvery-looking membrane lining the meat-side of the ribs - before cooking.

Serves six.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 211 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 31 g protein, 79 mg cholesterol, 759 mg sodium. EatingWell magazine, March-April 2009