Ingredients

3 lb spareribs
Boiling water
2 large lemongrass stalks
1/2 c + 6 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 c packed golden brown sugar
1/2 c dry sherry
2 tbsp Thai peanut sauce (we just used freshly-ground peanut butter)
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3/4 c canned unsweetened lite coconut milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange ribs in single layer in large roasting pan (we left them attached). Add just enough boiling water to cover ribs. Cover pan with foil. Braise in oven until almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make marinade. Cut bottom 2 inches from each lemongrass stalk (discard upper portions). Slice into thin rounds and place in blender. Add 1/2 c soy sauce, sugar, Sherry, peanut sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Blend until almost smooth. Blend in coconut milk and remaining soy sauce.

Cool ribs, still covered, 30 minutes. Transfer to heavy-duty 2-gallon resealable plastic bag; discard braising liquid. Pour marinade into bag. Seal top and turn several times to coat ribs evenly. Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange ribs in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet (we still left them attached). Spoon marinade from bag over ribs. Roast uncovered until very tender, basting often with marinade, about 1 1/2 hours. Cut into separate ribs. We served them as-is, but Bon Appetit continues: scrape marinade into pitcher for sauce; spoon off fat that rise to surface. Brush sauce generously over ribs. We didn’t have much left in liquid form by the time the ribs were done in the oven.

This chicken was inspired by a good Vietnamese vermicelli bowl and is meant to be good served that way or over rice. Would work well with nuoc cham or barbecue sauce (or this one) for dipping. I tried to cut the chicken in chunks and thread them on metal skewers, but they worked slightly better on bamboo (less slipping), and threading them in strips like satay might have been better overall. I chose chicken thighs for flavor and juiciness but this could be done with breast pieces as well, probably brined to stay moist.

Ingredients

1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into skewer-sized chunks
2 stalks lemongrass
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/4 c fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp brown sugar
sriracha or other chili sauce/paste to taste
vegetable oil
chopped scallions
sesame seeds

Directions

Remove the extra-fibrous outer layers from the lemongrass and mince in a food processor. Add and mince the cloves of garlic and shallot. Add fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and chili sauce to make a thinnish paste (adjust the fish sauce to taste and consistency) and mix well. Pour into a sealable container and toss thoroughly with chicken. Marinate overnight, mixing occasionally.

Heat grill to as hot as possible. Remove chicken pieces from marinade and thread on skewers, leaving a little space between pieces. Oil grill grate and grill uncovered until nicely charred, turning every 1-2 minutes to keep from sticking. If necessary, finish with grill closed. Total cooking time should be 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of pieces.

Serve with scallions and sesame seeds.

Ingredients

3 lb boneless pork country ribs
1/2 c soy sauce
1 Korean pear or Asian pear, grated with juices
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 small white onion, grated or sliced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp korean red pepper flakes or ground red pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 (20-ounce) bottle lemon-lime soda, optional (recommended: Sprite or 7-Up)

Directions

Combine all the ingredients other than the pork in a bowl or large plastic container. Add the pork, making sure it’s well submerged. Marinate overnight.

Heat grill to hot and grill with lid closed, about 4-5 minutes per side (country ribs are usually squarish in cross-section, so this is for 4 sides). Serve over rice with sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Or serve in ramen or other soup.

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts, pricked with a fork and lightly scored
1/2 c plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
oil, salt, pepper

Directions

Mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, and salt and pepper to taste. Add to a ziploc bag, add the chicken, seal, and massage until the chicken is well-covered by marinade. Marinate in refrigerator for about 8 hours.
Heat oven to 450. Remove chicken from ziploc, wash off marinade, and pat dry. Lay on a roasting pan rack, brush with oil on both sides, and bake until done.