I think I'm due a change in dietary tone, and the postings about South Asian-style grub are giving me ideas.

The other day I did pork ribs, and my digestion is still a little stunned from the experience. Himself asserts that my ribs are "the best", but if we ate them more often bad things would happen.

But they are very delicious.

This recipe requires an entire pig's worth of back ribs and a barbecue. I have a gas-fired one.

Lay out the racks of ribs on a large platter or tray, and pat them dry. Using a shaker and the back of a spoon, rub into every surface the following mixture:

1/4 cup sweet red paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper (this is tiresome)
1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Let the ribs sit for a while: an hour or two on the counter, or up to eight hours in the refrigerator. (Who has that much space in their refrigerator? Not I.)

When it's time to cook, set up the barbecue with a large pan under the grill, laid on the tiles that cover the burners. Edge the pan over to one side and fill it with water. In the space beside the pan set a smoker, which in my case is a half-open packet of aluminum foil containing wet wood chips. Light the barbecue, close the lid, and heat it until the first puffs of smoke appear.

Then lay the racks of ribs on the grill and turn down the gas as low as it will go. Depending on the efficiency of your barbecue, you may choose to turn off one burner completely -- not the one under your smoker. Go away and leave it be.

At this point, make the vinegar-based "mop sauce" that is essential to this style of barbecue. This sauce consists of either a large spoonful of American-style ballpark mustard and about a teaspoon of salt, or a spoonful of the spice mix, dissolved in about half a cup of cider vinegar.

When the ribs have been cooking for about an hour, take a small mop or pastry brush (I have a silicone one that does the job perfectly) and slop the mop sauce over the ribs. Cook for about half an hour longer, until you see the meat pulled away from the ends of the bones.

To serve, lift the racks off the barbecue and lay them on a platter or board. You can bring them to the table whole, for maximum effect, or cut the racks in half. I prefer to cut all the bones free so the diners can eat as many or as few as they want.