Steal This Recipe® Tamarind Baby Back Ribs | Kampuchea Restaurant, New York

Tamarind Baby Back Ribs

This week's "stolen" recipe comes from Chef Ratha Chau, chef and owner of Kampuchea Restaurant, one of the few Cambodian restaurants in New York City. Try making this dish, which incorporates the unique sweet and sour flavors of tamarind, and impress your family and friends! Cooked in the oven -there's no need to stand over a hot barbeque pit for hours to cook up this great rack of ribs.

About the chef: Born in Cambodia and raised in the United States, Chau opened Kampuchea Restaurant in November 2006 as his personal salute to his heritage.

Chau's original inspiration for choosing a culinary career was his love for creating delicious flavors for his own eating enjoyment. He finds that the most important thing in cooking a great meal is the balance of flavors. Within one meal, or even within one dish, Chau tries to incorporate a good balance of salty, sweet, and sour flavors. Adding an interesting combination of textures is also important to his dishes.

Chef Chau continues to evoke the indigenous flavors of his native country, with the addition of his own creative touches. When asked what he wants diners to experience at Kampuchea Restaurant, he answers, “Relax, let your hair down, and enjoy a cuisine like no other”.

SupermarketGuru note: the sauce in this recipe contains a raw egg yolk which can be left out if you have health concerns.

Kampuchea Restaurant 
78 Rivington Street 
New York, New York 10002 
212 529 3901 

Tamarind Baby Back Ribs is served at Kampuchea Restaurant for $12.00. 
This recipe is for a restaurant serving size of two.

Tamarind Baby Back Ribs Ingredients: 
1/2 cup whole coriander 
2 each star anise 
1 rack back ribs, whole (baby back) 
Salt and pepper, to taste 
1 large Spanish onion, cut 1/2" slice 
1 large knob of ginger, cut 1/2" slice 
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
1 Tbsp fish sauce

Glaze Ingredients: 
1 cup tamarind paste 
1 1/2 cup honey 
2 cups water 
2 tsp shrimp paste 
2 each dried red chili 
2 each tomato, roughly chopped 
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cilantro and Lime Dip Ingredients: 
1 sprig of cilantro, blanched 
1 cup of oil 
1 egg yolk 
1 Tbsp water 
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Tamarind Baby Back Ribs Steal This Recipe® Step-by-Step Instructions: 
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 
Toast coriander and star anise in dry sauté pan until fragrant; grind in spice grinder. 
Coat the ribs with the spices and salt and pepper. 
Lay the ribs on a sheet of foil and add the vegetables, vinegar, and fish sauce. 
Place in the oven; cook until done, around 1 hour. 
For glaze, combine all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer over medium to low heat until thick. 
Turn broiler to medium flame. 
Once the ribs are done, remove from the foil and discard the vegetables. Cut the ribs and place onto a sheet pan and brush generously with the glaze. 
Place under broiler to caramelize.
Serve with dip and pickled vegetables.

Cilantro and Lime Dip Steal This Recipe® Step-by-Step Instructions:
Combine cilantro and oil in a blender and puree until smooth; set aside for half an hour. 
Place the yolk of the egg in the blender with the water and lime juice. 
Puree together and slowly start to add the cilantro oil until the mixture can coat the back of a spoon. 
Place in the refrigerator to chill.