Behind the Dish

This dish started as a challenge—five chefs, five recipes, one winner. We had extra spareribs from whole pork bellies and needed a way to use them. What came out of that competition was something special. Thrice-cooked for the perfect balance of crispy and tender, these ribs are marinated, oven-roasted, lightly breaded, then fried and tossed in a bold tamarind sweet-and-sour sauce. Served in a Chinese takeout bag as a nod to the classics, it’s our tribute to the takeout spareribs we grew up on—only better.