Pork ribs with rice and pickles

Tam West

The spicy richness of the pork is great with the sweet and sour pickles.

Ingredients

4 cloves	Garlic, peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp	Ginger, finely chopped
4 Tbsp	Japanese soy sauce, naturally brewed
7 Tbsp	Rice vinegar, or wine vinegar
2 Tbsp	Grapeseed oil, or other vegetable oil
¼ tsp	Chilli flakes
1 Tbsp	Tomato paste
4 Tbsp	Brown sugar
1 kg	Pork ribs, ribs halved, then halves sliced in between the bones (Main)
250 ml	Water
1	Cucumber, peeled, split in half lengthways, seeds scooped out with a teaspoon, cucumber thinly sliced
1	Carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1	Celery stalk, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 tsp	Salt
¼ small	Pineapples, cored, cut thinly into 3cm slices (Main)
1 Tbsp	Caster sugar
1	Red chilli, thinly sliced
1 handful	Coriander sprigs
4 servings	Jasmine rice, steamed

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Line a large shallow roasting tray with baking paper.
2. Put the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of the vinegar, the oil, chilli flakes, tomato paste and sugar into a small food processor and process until smooth or put everything into a large bowl and mix well. Add the ribs and mix well again. Marinate for 1 hour.
3. Transfer to the lined roasting tray, pour in the water and roast 1 hour turning until the meat comes easily off the bones and the liquid has evaporated. If they look like they might burn, cover loosely with foil until done.
4. Meanwhile put the cucumber, carrot, celery and the 1 teaspoon salt into a large bowl and mix well. Reserve 20 minutes then rinse well in lots of cold water and squeeze dry in handfuls. Place in a clean bowl and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of vinegar, the pineapple, caster sugar and chilli. Mix well so the sugar dissolves. These are the pickles. Reserve.
5. Serve the ribs sprinkled with coriander sprigs and the pickles and rice on the side

More affordable pork recipes from Ray

• Pork sausages with roasted carrots and lentils
• Pork with white beans and tomatoes