Ingredients

  • 3 pounds pork rib (about 10 ribs)
  • 3 tablespoons good soy sauce (Shanghainese mushroom soy is a good option)
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 8 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 2 red chillies, chopped
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon high-quality chicken powder (,available at any Chinese supermarket)
  • 5 cups canola oil
  • Salt

Method

  • Cut the rack into individual ribs.
  • Marinade the ribs in mushroom soy and rice wine for 30 minutes.
  • You can either cook the ribs in a pressure cooker for 35 minutes or steam them for 1 hour then let cool.
  • In a deep pot, heat canola oil and fry the garlic until fragrant and golden brown.
  • Strain the garlic and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, evenly coat the ribs in flour and shake off excess.
  • Deep fry the ribs in batches, in the oil you fried the garlic with until crispy and golden brown.
  • Drain ribs on a paper towel lined plate.
  • In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon garlic oil, add chopped onions, star anise, chillies and stir fry until fragrant.
  • Add the ribs, fried garlic, chicken powder, sugar, salt and white pepper, shake the pan vigorously to coat the ribs with spices, about 2 minutes.
  • Mix in the cilantro at the end and serve immediately.