Ingredients/Asian Braised Short Ribs 3 lbs beef short ribs1 1 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 (5-inch) stalk lemongrass, halved lengthwise and chopped 1 tsp freshly minced ginger 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 qt water 1/2 cup scallions 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice Method/Asian Braised Short Ribs Cut the short ribs into 4-oz portions In a wide stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the short ribs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, water, green onion bottoms, crushed red pepper and 2 Tbsp of orange juice. Make sure the stockpot is deep enough so the short ribs can be fully submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot. Bake the short ribs in a 350o oven for about 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and cover to keep warm. Remove the fat off the top of the cooking liquid and discard. Place the remaining braising juices in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid until only about 1-1/4 cups remain, about 20 minutes, then pour through a fine- meshed strainer, discarding the solids. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp of orange juice and the lemon juice. Return the short ribs and the reduced sauce to the stockpot or Dutch oven; coat the short ribs with the sauce. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes at 425o, until the short ribs are heated through and slightly glazed. Set aside until ready to serve. Ingredients/Stir-Fried Mushrooms 1/2 cup vegetable broth 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp cooking oil 1/2 tsp minced garlic 1/2 tsp minced ginger 1/2 cup julienned carrots 1/2 cup thinly sliced lotus root 1/2 cup julienned zucchini 1/2 cup julienned jicama 8 white button mushrooms, sliced 2 Tbsp water 1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper 4 asparagus spears, sliced in bias-cut pieces 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water Method/Stir-Fried Mushrooms Combine vegetable broth, rice wine and soy sauce in a bowl. Place a wok over high heat until it is hot. Add the sesame and cooking oil and swirl it in the wok, to coat all sides of the pan. Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir to release their fragrance, about 10 seconds. Add the carrots, lotus root, jicama, zucchini and mushrooms; stir-fry for about a minute. Add the 2 Tbsp water to the wok, cover and let cook for 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and asparagus pieces and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth sauce and bring to a boil, then add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens. Ingredients/Five-Spice Popcorn 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn 3 tsp five-spice powder sesame oil Method/Five-Spice Popcorn Pop the corn, using sesame oil, then toss with five-spice powder. Set aside. Assembly Place stir fry at bottom of the cup, place short ribs with sauce on top of stir fry and finish with popcorn, and garnish with chive flower.