Ingredients
- 1kg short spare ribs, cut into individual ribs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
- ¼ cup water
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 2 spring onions (scallions), pale part only
- 2 whole star anise
- 2 garlic cloves, lightly bruised
- 2 tbsp finely sliced spring onions (scallions), green part only
Instructions:
Place the spare ribs in a pot of room temperature water. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Skim the surface of the water and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ribs to a large bowl. Rinse with clean water and then transfer the ribs to a clean bowl.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and allow it to cook and melt for about 2 minutes (take care it doesn’t burn). Add the ribs and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the sugar and heat starts to colour the ribs and the liquid is thick in the bottom of the pan.
Now add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, water, ginger, spring onions (pale part), star anise and the garlic. Mix to combine. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Remove the lid and turn the heat up a little higher. Cook and stir the ribs in the liquid for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce ‘sticks’ to the ribs and the oil starts to separate in the bottom of the pan. Use tongs to transfer the ribs to a plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the green part of the spring onion. Serve warm.