Pork spare ribs with black beans and chili garlic sauce
Cooked Asian style, this braised pork ribs dish is salty and spicy with a hint of sweetness. That might sound like a description of a myriad of Asian dishes but let me tell you that saltiness and spiciness can be either flat or nuanced depending on the ingredients you use.
Servings 3 people
Ingredients
- 600 to 750 grams pork spare ribs (1.3 to 1.6 pounds) cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 whole onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 star anise
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 heaping tablespoons black bean sauce (available in the Asian section of groceries and supermarkets)
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (available in the Asian section of groceries and supermarkets)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups bone broth (you may need more)
- salt if your bone broth is underseasoned
- sliced scallions to garnish
- sliced chilies to garnish
- fried garlic to garnish
Instructions
- Place the pork ribs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and allow to boil for 10 minutes.
- Drain the pork ribs and discard the water. Rinse the pork ribs under the tap to remove any impurities.
- Wash the pot (or use a clean one) and put the rinsed ribs in it. Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours until fork tender.
- Taste the sauce every 20 minutes or so. Add salt, if needed. If the cooking liquid dries out during cooking, add more broth, no more than a quarter cup at a time.
- Pile the pork ribs in a shallow bowl and pour some of the sauce over them. Garnish with sliced scallions and chilies, and fried garlic before serving.
