Sticky Tamarind Baby Back Ribs
Serves 4 INGREDIENTS
4 to 5 pounds baby back ribs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup tamarind paste or concentrate
¼ cup fresh orange juice (from ½ orange)
¼ cup honey, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon grated lime zest 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 star anise pod
2 tablespoons neutral oil such as safflower or canola
4 small shallots, diced (about 1⁄3 cup)
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane or minced
DIRECTIONS
Cut the ribs into chunks of 2 or 3 ribs, depending on their size. Place them in a large bowl and toss with salt.
In a small bowl, combine the tamarind paste, orange juice, honey, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, and star anise. Set aside.
Using the saute function on your Instant Pot, heat the oil. Stir in the shallots and cook until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute; then stir in the tamarind mixture. Bring to a simmer. Scrape the sauce into the large bowl of ribs. Toss gently to combine.
Arrange the ribs, standing upright along the outer edge of the pressure cooker, making a ring with the meat side of the ribs facing out. Continue with the remaining ribs, arranging them in concentric circles. Pour any remaining sauce over the ribs and add ¾ cup water. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Heat the broiler. Transfer the ribs, meat side down, to a rimmed baking sheet. Turn the cooker to the saute function and cook to reduce the sauce until thick, about 15 minutes; spoon the fat off the top when finished. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning, adding more honey, if necessary. Brush the ribs with the sauce. Broil the ribs until they are charred in spots, 1 to 3 minutes. Flip them over, brush with more sauce and broil on that side until charred. Serve immediately, with more sauce on the side.
— Melissa Clark, “Dinner in an Instant: 75 Modern Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker, Multicooker and Instant Pot”