Chilli Pork Spare Ribs

Skip the takeaway this weekend, and make this Chinese favourite at home instead.

Ingredients

• 600ml groundnut oil
• 1kg pork spare ribs, separated into individual ribs

For the sauce:

• 850ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chill bean sauce
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 75ml rice wine
• 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp cornflour, slaked with 3 tbsp water

Method

1. Grab a large wok and heat the oil until it reaches deep frying temperature. Gently lower in the spare ribs and fry in batches until brown and crisp, then transfer to kitchen paper to drain.
2. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pop in the cooked ribs, cover the pan and simmer for around one hour until tender. Drain off the sauce and remove any remaining fat.
3. Heat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas Mark 4. Place the ribs on a rack over a roasting tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown, basting with the braising sauce every 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven, place on a warm plate and serve immediately.

Lead image: Tatiana Volgutova via Getty images.