Thai Tamarind Baby Back Pork Ribs

Thai Tamarind Baby Back Pork Ribs

Sweet, sour, salty, spicy, crispy, sticky, tender succulent, and aromatic….

These Thai baby back ribs explode with all the elements that make Thai food so popular the world over.

Tamarind Pod

Tamarind? The tamarind tree originates from Africa, but now found across the tropics including South and Southeast Asia. India is now the largest producer of tamarind.  Tamarind is used in many Thai dishes and available fresh or in paste form. Here in Thailand tamarind is available in fresh clusters of pods or in blocks of the sticky contents of the  pods that include the seeds.  The flesh and seeds from the pods are boiled until vary soft. The seeds are then removed and sticky flesh is passed through a fine mesh strainer. The resulting tamarind paste has a unique tart, sweet, and slightly fruity flavor.

Tamarind Paste

The methods used for this recipe are adapted for the home kitchen. Some of the ingredients may be somewhat unfamiliar, but most can be found in Asian markets or in the Asian foods section of you local supermarket.

Keep in mind that cooking is always an adventure! Discovering new and unfamiliar ingredients and flavors are all part of the fun and open up new windows of possibilities. Tamarind is a subtle flavor enhancer you will find yourself using  again and again when cooking Thai or other Asian dishes. 

Thai Tamarind Baby Back Pork Ribs    Serves 4 to 6

Ribs:

• 1 kilo/ 2.2 pounds baby back pork ribs

Separate the ribs and remove the silver skin membrane  from the underside of each rib using a very sharp knife. Rinse the ribs and pat dry with paper towels, and transfer the ribs to a bowl.

Seasoning rub:

• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon back peppercorns 
• 1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds

Place all the rub ingredients in a spice mill and pulse until finely ground.

Then sprinkle the seasoning rub over the ribs. Using your hands, rub the seasonings evenly over all the ribs. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside.

Basting sauce: makes 1 ½ cups

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
• 2 inch knob ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 medium size shallot, finely minced
• 1 bunch of coriander, leaves and roots chopped
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 tablespoons tamarind paste (available at Asian markets)
• 3 tablespoons palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons rum or brandy
• ½ teaspoon red Thai chile powder, or ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon cold pressed peanut oil
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)

Using a mini processor or mortar and pestle, combine the grated garlic, grated ginger, minced shallot, and coriander leaves and roots and pulse or grind into a coarse paste.

Transfer the paste to a non reactive bowl. Add the soy sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste, palm sugar (or light brown sugar), rum or brandy, Thai chile powder, and the peanut oil and mix until well combined.

Select a rectangular baking pan and fit the pan with a shallow baking rack. Lightly oil the bottom of the pan as well as the rack.

Preheat the oven to 325 f/170 c

Place the seasoned ribs on the rack, bone side down and flesh side upward in a single layer, tucking the kaffir lime leaves here and there between ribs. Pour about an inch of water into the baking pan, generously brush the ribs with the basting sauce, seal the pan tightly with foil, and transfer to the preheated oven.

Thai Tamarind Baby Back Pork Ribs

Total cooking time will be about 1 ½ to 2 hours. At 20 minute intervals brush the ribs with more basting sauce. Add water to the bottom of the pan if needed, re-seal the pan, and return the pan to the oven front to back to insure even cooking.

After 1 hour check the meat for tenderness. The finished meat should be very soft, but just short of falling off the bone. So continue checking and roasting the meat until tender as described.

Once the meat is sufficiently tender you want to raise the heat to 400 F/ 200 c.

Remove the foil and brush the ribs generously with more basting sauce. Pour the remaining basting sauce into the bottom of the pan and add more water as needed. Move the oven rack to the upper position, return the ribs to the oven uncovered and cook until the tops of the ribs are deeply colored, sizzling, and crisp on the top surface.

Promptly remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs, transfer the ribs to a platter and cover lightly with foil. Remove the roasting rack and skim the fat off the surface of the pan juices and pour the pan juices through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium flame, bring to a boil, and if the juices are looking very thin boil until reduced to the consistency of a thin sauce.

Alternatively, mix a couple of teaspoons of corn starch mixed with an equal part of cold water, and stir it into the simmering pan juices while stirring until the sauce thickens to a thin sauce.

Dipping sauce: 

• 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced green onion
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced coriander leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red hot chile flakes

Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Chill until ready to serve.

Serving:

Serve the ribs on individual plates or on a large platter. Drizzle some pan juices over the ribs and, if serving on individual plates, add a small pool of pan sauce to each plate, or place a bowl of pan juices on the table.

Serve with a bowl of the tamarind dipping sauce and Thai jasmine rice as pictured.