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1
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
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2
Rinse and pat dry the oxtail pieces. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Heat an oven-proof Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Brown the oxtail pieces on all sides. Set aside and lower the heat to medium.
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3
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil (if necessary; the meat often leaves some fat), then add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander and tamarind paste and stir for about a minute, being careful not to let the tamarind paste and spices burn.
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4
Pour 2 cups water and the 2 teaspoons salt into the pan, scraping up any remaining browned bits. Add the oxtails, bring to a simmer and cover.
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5
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for about 3-1/2 hours. Check on it every now and then to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan. (Add a little bit of water if necessary.)
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6
When the meat is tender, remove the pan from the oven Allow it to cool and try to remove as much fat from the surface as possible. Ideally, it should be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight so you can spoon off the fat.
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7
In a large saucepan, bring the meat and sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the coconut milk and stir until combined. Taste the sauce for salt. Simmer on medium low for about 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.
