Ribs, Instantly

These are unusual times indeed. 

The F&B industry is facing what could be its worst economic situation, ever. And for once, no restaurant or eatery in any country is facing its troubles alone. As much as we try to support our restaurants by packing their yummies home, consumers like me do need a break from having to order in and waiting for the food to arrive, or carrying them home in biodegradable (for the most part) packing. 

So, one fine day, I decided to try out an almost-instant meal. This time, we found our food in the popular supermarket chain Rewe. Here it is - the slow-cooked spare ribs in Greek Metaxa sauce. 

A fabulous string of Greek-style ribs, that didn't take hours to grill to perfection. A different kind of instant. 

When you come from my side of the world, the word "instant" brings to mind images of dry, fast-cooking noodles in boiling water, to be drenched in coloured powdery substances that add flavours ranging from salty to spicy, and just about anything in between. Otherwise, it would be soup bases that would also need to be boiled in water that would then be transformed into delectable sauces for possibly exotic meats and seafood. 

So instant barbecued ribs is a novelty and something different, especially for someone like me. 

Texture-wise, the ribs were sufficiently tender. I can't stand ribs when the meats on them are so tough, you need the fangs of a wolf to get through to the bone. I mean, I may like hanging on to a bone during my meal, but it doesn't necessarily mean I want to behave like a hound on the loose. 

Needless to say, I am positively thrilled these ribs, instant as they are, didn't require me to summon my inner wolf. In terms of flavour, they weren't too bad either. I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I had expected them to be too salty, too bland or just blah. On the contrary, they were tasty, most evenly seasoned to taste equally of meat and spices, and to top it off, very close to something that was home-cooked. Impressive. 

As the packaging said, the ribs came with Metaxa sauce, a Greek-style sauce that comprises red peppers, virgin olive oil, ground peppers, and sun-dried tomato paste. 

This is the first time I have ever tasted this (it's not easy to get Greek foood where I come from because Borneo is, after all, a long way away from anything remotely Greek), so I had to look it up here. 

All that said, I have to say, I was not impressed with it, or at least this brand's version of it. It was neither sweet nor sour, nor spicy nor bland. Again, I could be very unfair to the original Metaxa sauce, so my apologies to all Greek food cooks and chefs in the world (and if you do see fit to send some real home-made Greek Metaxa sauce my way to set me straight, that would be most welcomed). 

So, all in all, these instant spare ribs were great as a meal, but I personally would have them without the sauce. And if I needed a pick-me-up for them, I would make my own spicy chili or black pepper sauce/dip (especially since I have Sarawak black pepper in the kitchen). 

This portion (600g) is a really good size too. Eaten with potatoes or rice, and with a simple vegetable side, this packing was great for a meal for two. 

Naturally, it doesn't beat the real-life ribs meal like the one I had pre-lockdown at Noah, but this box of joy does its job of satisfying that craving for spare ribs we do get, once in a while. 

And seriously, ribs are best devoured piping hot from the oven, and sometimes, packing them from the restaurant means they get unappetizingly cool by the time they are ready to be served on the table. So, when one needs freshly-barbecued ribs, this fuss-free almost-instant ribs meal that needs 20-45 minutes (max!) in the oven is a life-saver. 

A new kind of instant. An almost-instant. In a New Normal. 

Befitting, isn't it?