Pork Spareribs
These irresistible ribs are an import from China that have been adopted—and adapted—by Japanese cooks. I like to prepare them with classic Chinese five-spice seasoning, because I love the rich fragrance and flavors of this mixture of cinnamon, anise seed, star anise, cloves, and ginger. But many cooks in Japan prefer to make the spareribs with simply sansho pepper or freshly ground black pepper and salt (use 1 teaspoon of either pepper with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt). Try these different spice combinations to see which ones you like best!
Recipe information
Yield
makes 12 spareribs, serves 4
Ingredients
Spareribs Marinade
Cabbage Salad
Preparation
Step 1
Heat a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot with 4 inches of vegetable oil to 300°F.
Step 2
To make the marinade, combine the garlic, mirin, soy sauce, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the spareribs and turn to coat the ribs well. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Step 3
To make the salad, combine the cabbage and carrots in a bowl. Combine the vinegar, water, sesame oil, chili oil, sugar, and salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then pour the liquid over the cabbage and carrots. Mix well and set aside until it cools to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the ribs from the marinade and wipe off excess marinade. Line a tray with paper towels. Place the potato starch on a plate and dredge the spareribs in the starch to lightly coat. Add half of the ribs to the hot oil. Fry until the ribs are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set on the paper towel–lined tray to absorb the excess oil, then add the remaining spareribs to the fryer and repeat.
Step 5
Heat an 11-inch nonstick pan over high heat and add 1/4 teaspoon each of the black pepper, salt, and Chinese five-spice powder. Add half of the fried spareribs and cook quickly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, until cooked through, adding more seasoning, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining spareribs and 1/4 teaspoon each of spices.
Step 6
To serve, arrange 1/4 cup of the cabbage salad in the center of 4 plates and top with one-fourth of the pineapple pieces and cilantro. Place 3 spareribs around each cabbage salad and serve.
