During the summer we have more informal, quick, and sporadic meals, usually in the form of a frig full potato salad, cole slaw, pickles, and sloppy joe meat, or as they call it where my wife is from, "Tavern" (or, less appetizingly and less fortunately, "loose meats"). So dinners are quick and light, with usually some kind of light supper later on, often more of the same. I had a small rack of ribs left from the weekend that I had intended to smoke, so I made some Thai-flavored ribs.
I braised them in about equal amounts of fish sauce, sherry, and palm sugar (maybe 1/4C each), and then added enough water to come up the ribs halfway. I covered the glass baking pan with foil, and braised them for about an hour and a half at 250, or whatever the real oven temp is. I then removed the foil and let the liquid reduce. After it was syrupy, I put them under the broiler and basted them with the bubbly glaze every few minutes.
Dayum.
My wife liked them, without knowing that fish sauce was one of the primary seasonings. Served with a side garnish of mint and chile, with crunchy fried almonds on top for textural contrast, and a lime to counteract the sweetness and saltiness. As usual, mint completely elevates it. There is just something about the combination of fish sauce with mint, or with Thai basil, or both: something Righteous and Good. And Right.
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