Lamb ribs are such a decadent treat. Decadent because, let's face it, there's a helluva lot of fat on them, but also because they're not super easy to find. I only have one butcher in my area who does them (and it's a butcher-heavy area, I promise you...) so I make sure to grab them every few months to mix up our dinner regime.
These ribs have a delightfully spicy Sichuan coating, with a hint of sweetness from brown sugar and a bit of a crunch from their time under the grill. It melds perfectly with the simple steamed rice and fresh, zesty Vietnamese slaw (I feel like I've been making this so much lately, but you just can't go past it for a healthy side!). There's not much time hands-on, so it's perfect for a midweek or weekend meal!
*Requires overnight marinating*
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 kg lamb ribs, in individual pieces
4-6 dried red chilies
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tsp white peppercorns
2 star anise
2 cloves
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Vietnamese/Chinese 5-spice
For the slaw:
1 red apple, julienned
1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
1 red chili, sliced
1 small shallot, peeled and sliced
Handful coriander and mint leaves
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp chili flakes
Steamed rice, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
Place the dried chilies, 1 tsp salt, coriander seeds, all three types of peppercorns, star anise, cloves and brown sugar into a Nutribullet or food processor. Blitz to a fine powder.
Coat the lamb ribs in the spice mix, rubbing it in with your hands. Place in the fridge overnight.
Heat oven to 160C. Place lamb ribs in a single row in an oven safe dish and cover with alfoil. Roast for 1.5 hours.
Switch the oven to grill and turn it to high. Remove the foil and sprinkle the ribs with the remaining teaspoon of salt and the 5-spice powder. Place under the hot grill for 20-30 minutes until spitting hot.
Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients together.
Place apple, cucumber, chili, shallot and herbs in a large bowl and toss together. Wait to dress until the last minute so everything stays super fresh.
Divide slaw and ribs between serving plates, alongside steamed rice and a lemon wedge. Enjoy!
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