Thai Soured Pork Ribs

Step 1

With a mortar and pestle, pound together the garlic and the salt until you get a fine paste. Add the rice and pound until you get a fairly smooth paste. This step can be done in a small food processor.

Step 2

Rinse the ribs and dry them thoroughly with a cleankitchen towel.

Step 3

Mix the garlic-rice paste and the ribs together, making sure every piece is well coated.

Step 4

Transfer the ribs to either a very clean glass jar or a sealable plastic bag. Get rid of the air as much as you can, close the lid or seal the bag, and let the ribs cure at room temperature, undisturbed, for 3 days.

Step 5

After 3 days, check for sourness. That can be done by removing one piece of rib from the jar with a clean utensil, cooking it all the way through in a microwave oven, and tasting it to see whether you like the taste. If so, the curing can end at that point. If more sourness is desired, let the ribs continue to cure for up to 5 days.

Step 6

To cook the ribs, you can either deep-fry them or bake them in an 375°F oven on a cookie sheet until golden brown.

Step 7

Prepared soured pork ribs are best served with rice and fresh vegetables such as cucumber or sliced raw cabbage or lettuce.