These juicy, saucy ribs are chef Floyd Cardoz’s ode to his mother’s pork vindaloo. “There’s nothing more American than ribs,” says Cardoz. “I wanted to make something comfortable for our diners in New York, but that still honored the dish I grew up eating.” Serve these ribs with crusty bread to mop up every bit of the spiced, tangy sauce. Slideshow: More Ribs Recipes
How to Make It
Season the ribs with salt and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a spice grinder, pulse the dried chiles with the cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick until finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in the chile powder, turmeric, cayenne, 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of pepper until a paste forms.
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the red onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and the spice mixture and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until deep red in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the stock, tequila, jaggery, ribs and the remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of vinegar and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the ribs are very tender, about 1 hour.
Transfer the ribs to a work surface and let cool slightly; cut into individual ribs. Simmer the sauce until thickened and reduced by half, about 10 minutes; season with salt. Return the ribs to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve with crusty bread or steamed basmati rice.