Destination
Krabi
The story
Sii khrong moo yaang ("grilled pork ribs") is Bangkok's Thai-Chinese barbecue rib preparation: bone-in pork ribs marinated overnight in a paste of coriander root, garlic, white pepper, fish sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar and dark soy, then grilled slowly over charcoal for 45 minutes with regular basting until the ribs are deeply glazed, sticky and dark-charred at the edges. Served on a wooden board with a small dish of nam jim jaew (Isaan-style dipping sauce with chili flakes and toasted rice powder) and a stack of sticky rice on the side. Sold at every Bangkok barbecue restaurant and every roadside beer-and-grill spot.
Method
Whisk all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Rub thoroughly all over the ribs. Marinate 8 to 24 hours in the fridge.
Toast 3 tbsp raw sticky rice in a dry pan 5 minutes until deep gold. Grind to a coarse powder.
Heat charcoal grill to medium-low (coals white-ashy). A gas grill on medium is a substitute.
Lay ribs on the grill. Cook 40 to 45 minutes total, turning every 5 to 8 minutes and basting with reserved marinade. Ribs should be deeply glazed and dark-charred at the edges. If burning too fast, move to a cooler section of the grill.
Rest ribs 5 minutes on a warm board.
Combine toasted rice powder, chili flakes, fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind, palm sugar, spring onions, coriander and shallot in a bowl. Whisk. Taste and adjust.
Cut ribs apart if not already. Serve on a board with sticky rice, raw vegetables, jaew dip and lime wedges.
The Thai way — pick up a rib, dip in jaew, eat with sticky rice pinched from a communal basket.
Tips
- Overnight marinade. Non-negotiable — the flavours need time to penetrate.
- Medium-low grill. Palm sugar burns easily. Slow and low is the target.
- Baste regularly. The 5-minute basts build up the glaze.
- Jaew is essential. Grilled ribs with jaew is the Thai barbecue signature.
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