Medium
4
By Eleanor Ford
Published 2019
If you like your food fiery, Mandano in Northern Sulawesi is the place for you. Here fragrant spices and heavy use of chilli typify the food for heat that hits you with shouts, not whispers. As many Minahasan people are Christian (alongside a common persuasion towards blood magic), halal dietary restrictions have not shaped the cuisine. This means bush meats from rats and bats to wild boar and python fill the butchers’ markets. A little less exotic, these succulent barbecued pork ribs make a particularly good carrier for the big flavours.
Roughly chop the ingredients for the bumbu, then blend to a paste in a food processor. Add a little water to help it come together, if needed. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Use a small knife to remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs. Smear half the bumbu into the ribs and lay them in a shallow oven dish. Cover tightly with foil and leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
Meanwhile make the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients and taste for heat, sweetness and tang.
Heat a barbecue, grill or griddle pan to high heat. Grill the ribs on both sides until they start to char and caramelise, then smear over the remaining bumbu. Continue grilling until the sauce is dry and fragrant. Eat with your fingers, dipping into the dabu dabu as you go.
© 2019 All rights reserved. Published by Murdoch Books.