Grilled Baby Back Ribs

Our most favorite day is Friday which is the start of weekend here in the Middle East. My meat-loving husband convinced me to prepare grilled baby back ribs. I must admit that it's my first time doing it, so we agreed that he will do the grilling and I will make the sauce. Since it was an all meat meal, I blanched frozen mixed vegetables as side dish.

Grilled baby back ribs

Ingredients:

500 g baby back ribs

shredded spring onion and sesame seeds, to garnish

For the marinade and sauce:

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sunflower oil

a few drops of sesame oil

3 garlic cloves crushed and chop into tiny pieces

1 cup water or beef stock

2 tbsp banana ketchup

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire salt

salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions:

1. Marinate baby back ribs in a bowl with vinegar, soy sauce, sunflower and sesame oil and garlic. Cover with a clear film and leave for at least 1 hour inside the refrigerator. Drain the ribs well, reserving the marinade. 

2. Grilled ribs in a microwave with grilling option for 40 minutes, turning once (We used microwave because electric bill in our apartment is included in the monthly bill, so it cost us nothing and it is very convenient). Cut the ribs into serving size and served in a plate.

3. Prepare the sauce by pouring the reserved marinade into a frying pan. Stir in the water, ketchup, oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil, boil rapidly to reduce to half, add salt and pepper to taste. (You can also add sugar if you want a sweeter sauce, in this case, the sweetness of this sauce came from the banana ketchup).

4. Pour the sauce over the ribs, garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds.

5. Serve with rice and mixed vegetables. Enjoy!

blanched frozen vegetable as healthy side dish

Green Beans with Pork Stir Fry

We live in the time where people are looking for healthier options in the food that they are eating. In my case as a wife, it's a bit of a challenge because my husband loves to eat meat so much as he hates vegetables. So to trick him into eating vegetables, I took-out my magic wand and cooked something delicious that he can't avoid eating those healthy veges.

One of our favorite dish is the Green Bean (French Beans, Baguio Bean) stir fry. It is very easy to prepare and an amateur, wanna-be chef like me can cook it deliciously.

Green Beans with Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients:

200 g lean pork, cut into small cubes
250 g fresh green beans, topped, tailed and cut in half
1/2 cup root ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt
MSG (optional)
sesame seeds (optional)

Cooking Instruction:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Put pork and cook until brown, add small amount of salt and MSG.

2. Add ginger root and stir-fry for a minute or two. Then add the green beans and soy sauce and stir fry for 3 minutes (I love it half-cooked and crunchy so I only cook it for 3 minutes). Garnish with sesame seed.

3. Serve hot and Enjoy!