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".