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Epicurious
Gourmet

Xiao Jianming's Spareribs with Chiles

5.0

(1)

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 4 main-course servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 lb pork spareribs, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces by butcher
6 cups plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, coarsely ground in a spice grinder
1/2 tablespoon Chinese chile bean sauce or paste
3 dried Facing Heaven chiles (1-inch bell-shaped hot red chiles) or 3 (2-inch-long) dried hot red chiles
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil*
1 teaspoon chile oil containing sesame oil (such as Chiu Chow Chili Oil from Lee Kum Kee)

Special Equipment

a deep-fat thermometer

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk together potato starch mixture and salt in a large bowl, then add ribs and toss to coat. Heat 6 cups peanut oil in a wok or 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until it registers 280°F on thermometer. Transfer ribs to wok with a slotted spoon and fry until just beginning to color but not yet pale golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

    Step 2

    Heat same oil to 380°F and fry ribs again, until dark brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more, then transfer to clean paper towels to drain. Transfer hot oil to a large saucepan to cool before discarding.

    Step 3

    Add remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil, red pepper flakes, and chile bean sauce to cold, cleaned wok, then stir-fry over high heat until fragrant, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Add ribs, whole chiles, wine, sesame seeds, and sugar, and continue stir-frying until chiles are fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer ribs to a bowl and toss with sesame and chile oils.

    Step 4

    *We prefer Eden brand sesame oil (available at natural foods stores), which is nutty and well balanced, as well as China Bowl, a supermarket brand, which is a little milder.

TagsRibsChineseEast AsianAsianSpare RibPork RibPorkMeatMainDinnerDairy FreeFryLunar New YearGourmet
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