Ribs With Black Vinegar Sauce

You'll want to have plenty of white rice on hand to soak up the incredibly complex sweet-and-sour sauce that adorns these ribs.

Yield:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 2 lbs pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs
2. 1/4 cup cornstarch
3. About 12 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying, divided
4. 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
6. 2 tablespoons very thin matchsticks of peeled ginger
7. 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
8. 2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing wine or medium-dry Sherry
9. 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
10. 1/3 cup Chinese black vinegar
11. 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

Directions

1. Blanch ribs in a 4-quart pot of boiling water 4 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
2. Whisk 1/2 teaspoon salt into cornstarch in a large bowl. Add ribs and toss.
3. Heat 3 inches oil to 400ºF in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, then fry ribs (in batches if necessary) 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic, shallot, and ginger, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Add wine and boil 1 minute.
5. Add ribs with broth, vinegar, and soy sauce and simmer, covered, stirring and turning ribs occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour.
6. Transfer ribs to a platter. Boil sauce, whisking, until thickened and emulsified, about 2 minutes; pour over ribs.

Notes