Pork Rib Tea Soup

Soups and Congees

Pork Rib Tea Soup
Ingredients:
2 Pounds pork spare ribs, cut into individual boned pieces, in one- to two-inch lengths
6 cloves peeled garlic cloves, each one smashed
1-inch piece tung kwai (optional)
3 sticks Chinese cinnamon
6 star anise
1 Tablespoon each, white and back peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 Tablespoons dried shallot flakes
1 small chili pepper, seeds discarded, and slivered
1 Chinese cruller, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Preparation:
1. Make a packet in cheesecloth of the tung kwai, cinnamon, star anise, and peppercorns tied tightly.
2. Boil this with the spare ribs in three quarts of water for one hour, remove, scum and then add the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and half the shallot flakes and half the chili pepper slivers, and simmer for another hour, then add the cruller slices and the rest of the chili peppers.
3. Serve in individual soup bowls and sprinkle the rest of the shallot flakes and chili pepper slivers on the top of each bowl; and serve.

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