Short Ribs Braised with Peanuts and Spice

Preheat oven to 300°F. Toast bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, allspice, chiles, and fenugreek in a small skillet over medium, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Cut a 4-inch square of cheesecloth, and place toasted spices in the center; tie with kitchen twine to form a small sachet. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. (If short ribs are especially fatty, use less oil.) Sprinkle short ribs evenly with salt and black pepper. Working in 2 batches, cook short ribs in Dutch oven, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer short ribs to a plate; set aside.

Reserve 2 tablespoons beef drippings in a small bowl; drain and discard remaining drippings. Return Dutch oven and 1 tablespoon reserved drippings to heat over medium. Add onions, turmeric, and ginger; cook, stirring occasionally and adding more reserved drippings as needed to prevent burning, until onions are translucent, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in peanut butter and tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until tomato paste starts to caramelize and stick to bottom of pan, about 3 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring and scraping bottom of Dutch oven to loosen browned bits.

Add short ribs and spice sachet; return to a boil. Cover and bake in preheated oven until meat is fork-tender, 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours. Nestle in carrots; continue baking until carrots are tender and short ribs are very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally to glaze carrots.

Remove from oven; discard spice sachet, and let short rib mixture cool slightly, about 45 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator, and let cool completely, about 6 hours.

Scrape off and discard any fat that solidifies on the surface. Warm ribs in the braising liquid over medium until heated through, adding additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve on or off the bone.