Instructions: Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or large wok and deep fry the spareribs until they are brown and crisp.

Do this in several batches draining each cooked batch well on kitchen paper.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large pot and bring it to the boil.

Add the deep fried spareribs and simmer them covered for about 40 minutes or until they are tender.

Drain off the sauce and remove any remaining fat.

This sauce can now be frozen and re used the next time you want to make this dish.

This dish may be prepared up to this point the day before.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350f/180c.

Put the spareribs onto a rack in a roasting tin and bake them in the oven for 15-20 minutes until they are nice and brown.

Baste them from time to time with the braising sauce if you like.

You can also cook the spareribs under a grill or on a barbecue until they are brown.

Using a cleaver or a sharp heavy knife chop the spareribs into pieces 6cm long and serve.

Here is a spicy and delicious way of preparing pork spareribs. Although the recipe involves a series of techniques much of the work can be done ahead of time and the dish can be quickly completed at the last moment. The combination of spices and sauces are the hallmark of dishes from western China. It is worthwhile getting the chilli bean sauce for an authentic taste although chilli powder is a reasonably acceptable substitute. The spareribs can be finished in the oven under a grill or on a barbecue.

Serves 2

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