Sweet and Sour Chinese Ribs

 

This Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs dish is a mouth-watering appetizer and goes great with cold-beer.   And those ribs are not deep fried.  No oil is used in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds meaty spare ribs
2 inch section of ginger sliced into 1/2-inch “coins” and smashed
6 stalks green onions cut into 2-inch sections
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
generous pinch of salt
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
4 tablespoons white sugar
1 ½ tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 star anise

 

Direction:

Step 1:    Place the ribs in a saucepan of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the water, then add half of the ginger, half of the green onions, the Chinese rice wine and salt. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until the meat is cooked and tender. Continue skimming the pot. Strain and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid.

    

 

Step 2:     In the same pot, add the remaining ginger slices and green onions.  Add rice wine,  salt,  star anise, sugar,  and soy sauce.   Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Simmer over a medium flame, spooning the liquid over the ribs, until the sauce has reduced to a heavy, syrupy consistency.

    

 

Step 3:    Add the vinegar and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the flavors have fused. Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil.