1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon each: onion powder, ground thyme

1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, cinnamon

2 1/2 boneless or 3 pounds bone-in pork country-style ribs

1 large seedless cucumber

2 cloves garlic

1 cup plain Greek yogurt, labneh or sour cream

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne, optional

4 to 6 naan breads or pocketless pita breads, warmed

1. Mix oregano, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion powder, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and cinnamon in a small dish. Place pork ribs on a shallow baking sheet. Sprinkle generously on all sides with the seasoning mix. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate covered for 1 day.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roast pork, turning once, until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Internal temperature should be about 145 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, use the large holes on a 4-sided grater to shred the cucumber into a colander. Crush garlic into the cucumber. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let drain, pressing on cucumber occasionally, to extract some of the water, about 20 minutes. Use clean hands to squeeze the cucumber to extract more liquid, then place in a bowl. Stir in yogurt. Season with cumin and cayenne.

4. Serve pork with cucumber sauce and warmed naan.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2023 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.