Sweet and tangy tangerine spare ribs (wok-simmered)

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1½ pounds Pork spareribs; cut into 3-inch lengths
¼ cup Soy sauce; mixed with
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Minced ginger
2 Pieces dried tangerine peel; cut pieces into 1-1/2-inch squares OR 1-tbs julienned orange zest
2 Star anise
1 Cinnamon stick
¾ cup Chicken broth
2 tablespoons Frozen orange juice concentrate OR tangerine juice concentrate; thawed
2 tablespoons Brown sugar
3 tablespoons Orange liqueur
1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
Orange zest
1 Orange; peeled and cut into sements
Steamed rice; to serve

Directions

WOK

INTRO: Ribs don's have to be barbecued or baked. These succulent pork ribs are cooking in the classic home-style Chinese way my mother taught me.

They're simmered in a wok right on the stovetop, then glazed.

REHYDRATE tangerine peel: scrap and julienne.

PAR-BOIL RIBS: Cut ribs between the bones into individual pieces. Bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil. Add ribs and simmer for 3 minutes; drain.

MARINADE: Mix soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Brush onto meat and let stand for 10 minutes.

COOKING: 1. Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add ginger and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add ribs and cook until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add tangerine peel, star anise, cinnamon stick, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 45 minutes.

GLAZING: 3. Increase heat to high. Add juice concentrate, brown sugar, liqueur, and soy sauce; cook, uncovered, until sauce is reduced and ribs are glazed, 4 to 6 minutes.

4. Place ribs on a serving platter and garnish with orange zest and orange segments.

* ORANGE FLAVORED LIQUEUR: triple sec; grand marnier; etc.

* TANGERINE PEEL: cut peel into pieces small enough to spread out flat. Use a paring knife and scrap as much of the white pith from the inside as possible. Cut the pieces into smaller strips and set them out to dry in a sunny spot for a few days until they're firm but still flexible and very dry. Stored in an airtight container, dried tangerine peel will keep for months and even years. Alternatively, use a food dehydrator.

Recipe From Martin Yan's Asia: Favorite recipes from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Japan (1997: Bay Books) Pat's notes about CHANGES AND TIPS SEEN ON TV DEMO: * Marinade 30 minutes in Lee Kum Kee's CHAR SIU SAUCE, a CHINESE BARBECUE SAUCE : A ready-to-use honey-based barbecue sauce used for marinating or roasting pork and ribs. Red food coloring may be added.

* Oil wok with ½-teaspoon oil. Add ½ Tbs minced garlic and ½ tbs minced ginger; saute. Add ribs; brown; do not burn. Add 1 cup soup stock, star anise, cinnamon stick, dried tangerine peel (scraped of pith and julienned). Simmer ribs 30 to 40 minutes, covered.

* Sauce: Turn up heat; add triple sec, "braise". Add sauce.

NOTE: My notes are incomplete: they say he started with a bottled sauce: ½-cup "Lee Kum Kee's tangy rib sauce," thinned with ½ cup fresh orange juice; 2 tbs vinegar, ⅓ cup brown sugar. This was cooked to reduce and then he dissolved 1 tsp of cornstarch in water and adding some until the sauce thickened.

McRecipe: phannema@... on 5 July 1998 Recipe by: Martin Yan's Asia: Hong Kong Posted to KitMailbox Digest by Roberta Banghart <bobbi744@...> on Aug 24, 1998, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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