Sweet and Spicy Ribs With Cilantro and Cucumber

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Sweet and Spicy Ribs With Cilantro and Cucumber
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Iah Kinkney
Total Time
About 3 hours
Rating
4(501)
Comments
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These ribs are a treat to put together, since everything cooks in one pan until the sauce becomes a sticky glaze and the ribs turn soft and tender. Some roasted potatoes or a potato salad would do well here if you’re serving this as part of a larger spread. Not to be confused with mango chutney, hot mango pickle is a traditional jarred condiment made by preserving mangoes and a variety of hot spices. It’s used most commonly in South Asia, and provides the sour and spicy qualities that give these ribs that special oomph of flavor. You can find it in the international section of many supermarkets or in other specialty markets.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Ribs

    • 2tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼cup/40 grams peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (from a fat 2-inch knob)
    • 1small jalapeño, finely chopped, seeds and all
    • 1¼cups/300 milliliters pomegranate juice
    • ¾packed cup/30 grams roughly chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
    • ⅓packed cup/75 grams light brown sugar
    • ⅓cup/75 grams hot mango pickle, roughly chopped
    • 2tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1½tablespoons coriander seeds, roughly crushed using a mortar and pestle
    • 2¼pounds/1 kilogram baby back ribs (pork loin ribs), cut into 4 equal sections of about 4 ribs each, stabbed a few times on the bony side with a small sharp knife
    • 12ounces/340 grams shallots (about 4 large or 8 medium shallots), peeled and left whole or halved lengthwise if large
    • Kosher salt and black pepper

    For the Cucumber Raita

    • 1English cucumber (about 12 ounces/340 grams), halved lengthwise, deseeded, then very thinly sliced into half-moons
    • ¼packed cup/10 grams roughly chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
    • 3tablespoons sour cream
    • 1tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1tablespoon olive oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1031 calories; 73 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 30 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 38 grams sugars; 44 grams protein; 1395 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit/150 degrees Celsius.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the ribs: Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the ginger and jalapeño and stir until fragrant, about 1½ minutes. Add the pomegranate juice, cilantro (fresh coriander), sugar, mango pickle, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Add the ribs, shallots, ¾ teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper to a 10-by-13-inch/26-by-34-centimeter roasting pan and toss everything together, arranging the ribs flesh-side up. Pour the sauce on top, wrap tightly with foil, then transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours.

  4. Step 4

    Turn the heat up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius, remove the foil and baste the ribs with the sauce. Cook, basting once throughout, until ribs are a deep chocolate brown and the sauce is sticky, about 25 minutes more. Let cool slightly while you make the cucumber raita.

  5. Step 5

    Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium-high. Toast until fragrant, shaking the pan occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl along with the cucumber, cilantro (fresh coriander), sour cream, lime juice, oil, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper; toss everything together to combine.

  6. Step 6

    Divide the ribs, shallots and cucumber salad among 4 plates, spooning some of the sauce over the ribs, and serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5
501 user ratings
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Comments

Trinasmom

This looks soooo wonderful but...I am one of those people who eat cilantro and taste soap. What can I use as a substitute, if anything? Such a perfect recipe but I would like to enjoy it too.

NBI

Would the recipe change much if we substituted beef ribs instead of baby back? Asking for a friend!

Bob Morgen

The first time I had cilantro, at a San Francisco restaurant in the 1970s, I sent it back because I thought there was soap in the bowl. But I learned I was just one of those people who couldn't eat it. Determined to overcome this, I ate a tiny bit every time it showed up at an Asian or Mexican meal. 12 years later I had an epiphany! Cilantro mysteriously turned from soap to a wonderous moreish taste. Now I eat it all the time. So, my suggestion is to keep trying it until it becomes amazing.

Katie

Great recipe! Have made twice now. Second time I added a few extra tablespoons of brown sugar and cooked them with the foil for an extra hour, which made them fall off the bone and the flavors more balanced. Definitely recommend cooking longer! It’s an intense dish, so served with white basmati and the cucumber salad. Delicious!

Susan F.

This was a huge hit. I doubled the ribs but didn't really double the ingredients, except a bit more ginger. I also cooked it for an hour longer -- about 3 hours covered, increasing the temp to 375 for the last hour, removing the foil for the last 30 mins. That helped thicken and cook down the sauce. It was perfect, no need to boil down the sauce. Having some extra went great over the jasmine rice. It was fall-off-the-bone perfection, with the just the right amount of heat.

Alan S

A lot of work but not an impressive sauce. Fairly bland when made in the egg

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