Pork in chilli bean sauce
Instructions:
- Pork spareribs with their alternate layers of lean and fat need a hot or piquant sauce to balance their richness. The amount of chilli bean sauce may be adjusted to taste.
- 500 g (1 lb) meaty pork spareribs;
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce;
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry;
- 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch);
- 1 tablespoon water;
- 3 tablespoons oil;
- 100 g (3½ oz) small snow peas or sugar snap peas;
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced;
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped;
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger.
- Sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce;
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry;
- 1 tablespoon smooth bean paste (mor sze jeung);
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce;
- 2 teaspoons chilli bean sauce;
- 2 teaspoons sugar;
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil.
- Remove the skin from the spareribs. Cut the pork into thin slices and pour over the soy sauce and sherry, mixing well.
- Combine the Sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornflour and water.
- Heat the wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot add the snow peas and spring onions and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and fry the garlic, ginger and marinated pork, pressing the pork against sides of wok and stir-frying until fragrant. Pour in the combined Sauce ingredients, stirring well. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Add the snow peas and spring onions, tossing to mix. Serve at once, with steamed rice.
- Note: Hoisin sauce, bean paste and chilli bean sauce are sold in all Chinese stores and are useful additions to your pantry.