Spare Ribs, Sichuan Style

Regional Foods

Spare Ribs, Sichuan Style
Ingredients:
2 pounds pork ribs sawed into three-inch pieces, then cut into individual ribs
2 cups Chinese rice wine
2 Tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
2 cups vegetable oil
4 Tablespoons fennel seeds
10 whole star anise
3 sticks cinnamon, each one broken in half
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 whole fresh garlic clove, peeled and smashed
5 dried red chili peppers, seeded and slivered
1/4 cup chili oil
Preparation:
1. Toss spare ribs, wine, and five-spice powder, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Drain the ribs the next day, and put them in a wok or sauce pan with three of cups cold water. Bring them to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for five minutes, then drain and set them aside.
3. Add one quarter of the oil, garlic, fresh ginger, chili pepper pieces, and the fennel seeds and stir-fry for one minute, then add star anise and the cinnamon pieces and stir-fry for two more minutes. Now wrap the spices in a triple layer of cheesecloth and tie them tightly.
4. Add the ribs, sugar, salt, spices in cheesecloth, and three cups of cold water. Simmer for thirty minutes, then discard the cheesecloth and its spices and the liquid. Remove the spare ribs and dry the wok or pan before returning one-quarter of a cup of oil and fry the spare ribs for five minutes or until they are crisp. Next, add the garlic and the chili peppers and stir-fry for one more minute before putting them all in a pre-heated bowl. Serve.

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