Ken Hom's chilli spare ribs recipe

A tasty dish from China's Sichuan region, famous for its spices and sauces, you can do most of the prep in advance.

Ingredients

• 600ml (1 pint) groundnut (peanut) oil
• 750 g (1½ lb) pork spare ribs, separated into individual ribs

For the braising sauce:

• 900 ml (1½ pints) chicken stock
• 2tbsp chilli bean sauce
• 1tbsp rock sugar or ordinary sugar
• 85ml (3 fl oz) Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1½ tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2tbsp light soy sauce
• 2tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 3tbsp finely chopped spring onions
• 2tbsp whole yellow bean sauce
• 3tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2tbsp cornflour blended with 3tbsp water

Method

1. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large wok and deep-fry the spare ribs until they are brown and crisp. Do this in several batches, draining each cooked batch well on kitchen paper.
2. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large pan and bring to the boil. Add the deep-fried spare ribs, cover and simmer for about 1 hr or until they are tender. Drain off the sauce and remove any remaining fat. (This sauce can now be frozen and re-used the next time you want to make this dish. The dish may be prepared up to this point the day before).
3. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 180°C (350°F). Put the spareribs onto a rack in a roasting tin and bake them in the oven for 15-20 mins until they're nice and brown. Baste them from time to time with the braising sauce if you like. You can also cook the spare ribs under a grill or on a barbecue until they are brown.
4. Using a cleaver or a sharp, heavy knife, chop the spare ribs into pieces 6 cm (2½ inches) long. Turn on to a warm serving platter and serve at once.