Cuisine: Nyonya (Malaysian Chinese) | Shared by: Faye in Singapore

Faye, my gracious host, learned this rib recipe from her friend Lim's mother, who she claims is an expert in cooking. While Lim's mother cooked this dish, Faye would ask, "How much?"—asking for quantities of each ingredient she used—and Lim's mother would reply "Aga-aga!" "Just eyeball it!"

These ribs will slightly sweet with a little tang from the tamarind. Faye notes the tamarind's acidity tenderizes the meat, but add the sugar at the very end or it may toughen the meat. This is a Peranakan recipe as Lim's mother is also Malaysian Chinese.

What you’ll need: A large pot—the kind you might boil spaghetti in.

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Ingredients
Chili Paste

• 10 shallots
  
• 10 cloves garlic
• 6-8 cayenne red chili peppers (Capsicum annuum), seeds removed

• 1 tablespoon dried tamarind
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons soybean paste
• 1½ kilograms (3.3 lbs) pork ribs, 2-inch pieces with fat trimmed off. Baby back ribs will do.
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis
• 7 stalks fresh lemon grass, white part smacked to release flavor
• 6 cayenne red chili peppers (Capsicum annuum), seeded
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Method

1. Chili paste: Combine all the ingredients for the chili paste in a food processor and pulse until it is turns into a paste. If you don't have a food processor, just chop all the ingredients finely by hand until it becomes a paste.
   
2. Combine tamarind with warm water. Use your fingers to pinch and soften the pulp. Do not discard water as it will be used in the dish.
3. Heat oil in a deep pot. Sauté chili paste and soy bean paste until fragrant. Toss in the ribs and coat all sides with the pastes. Add kecap manis, lemongrass, three of the chili peppers, and tamarind with water. If you prefer more sauce, add a little more water. Simmer for 40-50 minutes or until meat is soft.
4. Stir in the sugar. Remove the cooked chilies and replace with the remaining three red chilies. Toss a little and serve hot.

Serve hot. It’s great over steamed, fragrant Thai Jasmine rice..