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If you’ve ever enjoyed the house pickles at Wayla in Time Out Market New York, you have Paripada Richman to thank. The piquant slices that accompany the rich, delicious ribs at Wayla are her handiwork, and the cook recently detailed the preparation process for both items with Time Out New York. Patience makes perfect in each case, and Richman and the Wayla team start working on your plate days before you even enter 55 Water Street.
The pickles take at least 72 hours, Richman says. She slices seedless cucumbers and packs them into gallon containers of vinegar, salt and sugar. When they emerge from their briny bath, the firm, crisp discs accompany every order of honey pork spare ribs, but they are no humble garnish. Once you’ve tried them, their freshness and perky bite seem all but required beside the rich main event.
The spare ribs start with chef Tom Naumsuwan’s signature marinade, a proprietary blend that includes salt, pepper, oyster sauce and honey. The racks soak up those flavors overnight before they’re encased in aluminum foil and popped into a 320-degree oven. After an hour and 45 minutes, they’re unwrapped and spend another 15 minutes baking while Richman monitors their caramelization and color development. The objective, she says, is to reach a deep golden brown.
As orders come in throughout the day (and Wayla typically sells out of the ribs by lunch time), portions of four are sauced with more of that honey mix (Richman says moisture is key) grilled for a few more minutes to let those sugars sparkle and coalesce and served with a spicy blend of salty fish sauce, hot red chili, lime and garlic on the side.
The honey pork spare ribs are unique to Wayla’s Time Out Market outpost–not available at its popular Lower East Side location, and you’ll obviously need to arrive early to try them. And even with all the time it takes to make your plate, nobody will blame you for making them disappear fast.