Glazed Five Spice Spare Ribs

Make a good impression with this dish.

Serves 3 to 4 as an appetizer. The recipe is easily doubled for serving as a main meal.

Ingredients:
750g (1 1/2 pounds) pork spare ribs

Simmer sauce:
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder


1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium clove garlic, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Chop the ribs into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Put them in a small pot and marinate in the simmer sauce for 15 minutes. Add the boiling water and bring the simmer sauce to a boil. Adjust heat to medium low to maintain a strong simmer; then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning the meat now and then. Drain the simmer sauce into a bowl and set the ribs aside. (If you want to do this step ahead of time, cover meat and sauce; if you refrigerate them, bring them to room temperature before continuing.)

Measure out 1/4 cup of sauce and combine it with 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice wine.

Cooking:
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the oil, swirl and heat. Press and turn the garlic in the oil. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Then add the simmer sauce a little at a time (it will splatter - stand back) and stir until it puffs into thick caramel bubbles. Then pour in the ribs and tumble them vigorously until the sauce coats all of them, with the sauce reduced. Place the ribs onto a platter.

This recipe comes from Irene Kuo's "The Key to Chinese Cooking".

Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (approx 400g/16 oz), drained, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tahini
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, using the 1 tablespoon chickpea liquid if necessary to make a smooth spread.

Chilled Sweet and Sour Onions

This is good prepared a day in advance.

Ingredients:
500g (one pound) red onions (although brown onions will do)
2 tablespoons oil
1 large clove garlic, lightly crushed and peeled

Sauce:
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Trim off the root ends of the onions and peel them. Cut each onion into 2 cm (1 inch) wide wedges and separate the layers. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Cooking:
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirl, and heat for 30 seconds. Toss in the garlic and press it in the oil. Then stir fry the onions for 30 or 40 seconds, until they are glistening with oil and have slightly transparent look.
Splash in the sauce and, as it sizzles, stir the onions briskly a few times. Then pour immediately into a dish. Let them cool a few minutes, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Mexican Bean Dip

1 x 425 can baked beans in tomato sauce
½ cup grated tasty cheese
1 teaspoon chilli powder (or more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teapoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
dash of cayenne


Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste, and add extra chilli powder as desired. Turn into a bowl and serve as a dip with corn chips, potato chips or biscuits.

Based on Margaret Fulton’s recipe in “Creative Cookery Course: A Step By Step Guide For All Occasions”.