Cook's discovery: Nyonya cuisine is both Chinese and tropical - recipes

Sunset, Jan, 1988

Coriander Spareribs (Tulang Babi Panggang Bumbu Ketumbar)

4 to 5 pounds pork spareribs

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon crushed dried hot chilies

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup water

Trim excess fat off ribs. Cut ribs apart between bones. In a 14- by 17-inch roasting pan, mix together sugar, garlic, lemon juice, coriander, chilies, salt, and water to make a paste. Add ribs, stirring gently to coat with seasoning paste. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Bake, covered, in a 400| oven until meat is almost tender when pierced, about 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 30 minutes. Lift out of pan. Serve hot. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Photo: Ladle tamarind-tart fish soup over coiled rice noodles; and condiments to season to taste. Choose from cucumber slices, hot chili slivers, shredded mint leaves, lime wedges, and sliced shallots

Photo: Southeast Asian seasonings give nyonya flavor to Chinese food. Left to right: fresh mint leaves, stalks of fragrant lemon grass, hot chilies, spices like coriander and turmeric, tart tamarind paste, dry galangal slices, and limes

Photo: Typical nyonya restaurant in Melaka, Malaysia, serves dishes that blend tropical and Chinese flavors

Photo: Spareribs, rice noodles, vegetables, and soup are cooked nyonya-style: ground coriander coats pork ribs, soy sauce flavors noodles, turmeric colors and seasons vegetables, and lemon juice and lemon grass lend Southeast Asian overtones to shrimp-pineapple soup