Ingredients

• 1-2 pork back rib backs
• about 1.5-2kg
• 110g/4oz tamarind paste
• 110g/4oz pomegranate molasses
• 6 garlic cloves
• peeled and crushed
• 60g/2¼oz root ginger
• peeled and grated
• ½ tbsp ground cumin
• 4 medium sized red onions
• peeled
• a good knob of butter
• 75g/3oz fatty minced pork
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 30g/1¼oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• vegetable or corn oil
• for brushing

Directions

• Smear the ribs with the marinade ingredients mixed together in a bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours (the longer the better).
• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Transfer the marinated ribs to a baking or roasting tin and cook for 30 mins
• basting as they are cooking.
• Turn the oven down to 160C/325F/Gas 3
• cover the tray with foil and continue cooking and basting for another hour
• then remove the foil and cook
• basting regularly
• for a further 30-45 minutes.
• Remove the ribs from the oven
• cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
• For the stuffed onions
• preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Wrap the onions in foil
• stand them on a baking tray and bake for about 45-50 minutes
• or until they are fairly soft. Remove from the oven
• take off the foil and leave to cool a little.
• Meanwhile
• prepare the stuffing. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Season the pork with salt
• pepper and ground cumin
• add to the pan and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes
• stirring
• until lightly coloured. Add 125ml/4½fl oz water and simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
• Once the onions are cool enough to handle
• chop about 1cm/½in off the top of each
• then carefully remove the skins
• keeping the onions intact. Scoop out the centre of each onion with a spoon
• leaving a couple of layers of flesh to hold them together. Reserve both the onion tops and scooped flesh.
• Finely chop the scooped onion flesh and mix it together with the pork
• breadcrumbs and parsley. Season to taste. Spoon the filling into the onions and replace the tops. Place on a baking tray
• brush with oil and bake for about 15-20 minutes
• until the onions are lightly-coloured and the filling is hot.