SERVES 3 TO 4 AS A MAIN COURSE, 5 TO 6 AS PART OF A MULTICOURSE MEAL
This is a fine variation on the theme of stewed spareribs, one that features the hot and sour flavors of central China. It is a simple dish that can be done with most any colorful variety of market vegetables, so feel free to improvise.
Sparerib stews need long, slow cooking to turn the meat truly tender and succulent. For that reason, you might want to cook the ribs well in advance. In doing so you will also gain the advantage of being able to lift the congealed fat in a single slab from the sauce. If you are starting late, however, the ribs can be finished and the sandpot completed within two hours.
1 large rack (2 to 2½ pounds) fresh, meaty pork spareribs, cut crosswise through the bone into 1½-inch wide strips
AROMATICS:
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
1½ teaspoons dried red chili flakes
2 tablespoons whole Chinese black beans (do not rinse them)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
SAUCE:
2 cups China Moon Infusion (page 72), China Moon Double Stock (page 72), or unsalted chicken stock
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon Serrano-Lemongrass Vinegar (page 19) or unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
1 rounded cup red pearl onions
8 to 10 round French market carrots or 12 baby carrots, halved lengthwise if fat
8 to 12 ears fresh baby corn, halved lengthwise if thick, or 1 cup fresh corn kernels
3 to 4 ounces sugar snap peas, roll-cut (page 260) asparagus nuggets, or baby zucchini, zucchini halved lengthwise if fat
4 to 5 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, for searing and stir-frying
1 red bell pepper, cut into ¾-inch squares
¼ pound wild mushrooms, trimmed and cut, if large
¼ pound Napa cabbage, cut crosswise into broad ribbons
8 pieces Oven-Dried Plum Tomatoes (page 36)
Green and white scallion julienne, for garnish
1. Trim the sparerib strips of any excess fat. Divide each strip into individual riblets.
2. Combine the aromatics in a small dish; seal until ready to use.
3. Combine the sauce ingredients through the chili sauce in a small bowl. Stir to blend, leaving the spoon in the bowl.
4. Ready a skimmer or a Chinese mesh spoon, a large pot of boiling water, and a large bowl of ice water for blanching the vegetables. Blanch the red pearl onions for 1 minute to loosen the skins. Scoop into the ice water to chill; drain. Peel, trim, and cut the onions lengthwise in half through the root end. Return the water to a boil. Blanch the carrots for 10 seconds. Scoop into ice water to chill; drain. Blanch the baby corn for 30 seconds. Scoop into ice water to chill; drain. Blanch the sugar snap peas, asparagus, or zucchini for 10 seconds. Refresh in ice water; drain.
5. Sear the spareribs in 2 or 3 batches: Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to glaze the pan. When the oil is nearly smoking, add a single layer of spareribs to the pan and sear until deeply browned on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the heat so the riblets sizzle heartily without scorching. Remove them from the pan to drain on paper towels. Wipe the pan clean and repeat with the remaining riblets.
6. Clean the pan and return it to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, swirl to glaze the pan, and reduce the heat to moderate. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a scallion ring, add the aromatics. Stir gently until fully fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, adjusting the heat so they foam without browning. Add the seared spareribs and toss to combine. Stir the sauce and add it to the pan. Cover and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a weak simmer and cook the ribs until the thickest piece of meat is very tender, 1 to 1¼ hours. Uncover the pot several times to check the simmer and stir the ribs. Do not hesitate to cook them longer if needed. There is no virtue whatsoever in a tough nugget of sparerib!
7. Scoop the spareribs from the sauce and spread them on a platter. Let the sauce stand for about 15 minutes, then skim the fat from the surface. If you are working in advance, allow the riblets to cool, then seal and refrigerate them. Refrigerate the sauce uncovered; when the fat congeals on the top, discard it in one piece. Let both the spareribs and the sauce come to room temperature before finishing.
If stir-frying is the sports car of Chinese cooking, sandpots are the slow train. The way to approach and appreciate them is to do all of the pre-cooking a day in advance. Then, it’s only minutes to a splendid one-dish supper.
8. To stir-fry the vegetables, heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to glaze the pan. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle an onion half, add the onions and bell pepper, and toss briskly until slightly softened, 2 minutes. Add the carrots and baby corn, and toss for 2 minutes more. Adjust the heat to maintain a merry sizzle and drizzle a bit more oil down the side of the pan, if needed to prevent sticking. Don’t worry if the vegetables brown a bit; they will be tasty. Add the mushrooms and toss until hot. Add the Napa cabbage and toss just until wilted. Spread the vegetables on a platter to cool. If you are working in advance, seal the cooled vegetables and refrigerate overnight. Let come to room temperature before finishing.
9. About 20 minutes before serving, put the spareribs in the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart Chinese sandpot or other heavy casserole. Layer the vegetables on top. Tuck the tomatoes amidst the vegetables. Stir the sauce and add it to the pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 8 to 9 minutes to warm the stew through. In the final minute or two of cooking, fold the corn kernels, if using, and the sugar snap peas, asparagus, or zucchini into the pot.
10. Serve immediately in heated bowls of contrasting color. Garnish with a tangle of scallion julienne. Put an extra bowl on the table for bones and encourage your company to enjoy the ribs with their fingers.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: For a one-pot dinner, I like adding parboiled new potatoes in their jackets to the sandpot during the last moments of cooking. Rice or noodles could be used instead, as could thick wedges of good bread. If you’re in the mood, a salad of watercress and endive with our Orange Vinaigrette (page 25) would provide a fine note of refreshment after the stew.