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Black Bean and Garlic Spareribs

Chinese fermented black beans (see page 207) keep forever and add a distinctive flavor to every dish they’re used in; best yet, most people like them immediately. This classic highlights them perfectly. Ask the butcher to cut the ribs into small pieces for you (a supermarket butcher can do this). Serve as a starter or an entree with steamed white rice.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
2 pounds pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs and crosswise into 1-inch strips
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
1 scallion, trimmed and chopped
One 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, stock, or water
1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the oil in a skillet with a lid and place over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the spareribs. Brown them lightly on both sides, then drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan.

    Step 2

    Add the garlic, black beans, scallion, and ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, wine, and stock and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ribs are tender, 30 minutes or more. Remove from the heat and serve with the pan juices over white rice

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
TagsStir-FryRibsSichuaneseChineseEast AsianAsianSpare RibPork RibPorkMeatMainDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeEasyWeeknight MealsMake AheadFrySimmerCookbooks
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