A New Twist to Baby Back Ribs: Sweet Soy Pork Spare Ribs

Hi All

This is how you eat Pork Spare Ribs asian style. We call this "Babi Kecap"; the literal translation is Sweet Soy Sauce Pork Ribs. This recipe has been handed down from my Grandmother to my Mom then now to me. This dish was my Grandfather's favorite. I was told that my Granpa never wanted to eat the same thing at each meal, so my Granma (or Oma that's what I called her) always had to cook three different meals each day everyday. However this is the only dish that my Grandpa wouldn't mind eating consecutively. I never met my Granpa as he died a week before I was born, but at least I have this dish as my link to him.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 4 people
Price: $9.30

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of Pork Spare Ribs (we got 2.08lbs at $3.99/lb) - $8.30
- 2 whole garlic (50 cents) - 1 whole garlic to each lb of meat.
- 3 Potatoes (50 cents)
- 7 tablespoons of "ABC" Medium Sweet Soy Sauce - I bought this at Asian supermarket (99 Ranch)
- 3 tablespoons of "Lee Kum Kee" Oyster Flavored Sauce
- 2 teaspoons of black pepper
- 2 cups of water

Chili Sauce: (optional if you like spicy)
- 4 Red chili pepper (from garden)
- 2 tablespoons of "ABC" Medium Sweet Soy Sauce

Directions of Cooking:
1.  Cut the ribs into small pieces, cut the piece in between the bones. The width of the pork ribs is about 1 inch long. If you want it to be leaner, cut out all the fatty parts.

2. Cut the two whole garlics into fine pieces and saute it in a wok with a little olive oil until it is a little brown and you can smell the flavor.

3. Add the pork rib pieces into the wok and fold the garlic into the ribs to flavor it. You don't have to add more oil since the pork ribs will produce its own oil. Have the stove on HIGH heat.

4. Cook the ribs until it's about medium well done. You can tell as the rib meat will turn white. We will stew it again later. This takes about 5-10 minutes

5. Add all the sauces in: 7 tablespoons of medium sweet soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons of black pepper sauce and saute them together on HIGH heat for about 5 minutes. Remember to taste as you are adding the sauces in.

 6. Add two cups of water, wait until the soup is boiling. Then cover the wok with a lid and stew it. Change the heat setting from HIGH to LOW and stew for about 20 minutes until the meat is tender. My co-worker said once that the meat practically falls off the bone.

 7. While the meat is stewing, skin your potatoes and cut them into 1 inch cubes.

 8. Take out another pan, and use a fresh vegetable oil to fry your potatoes. My mom told me that it has to be fresh oil, so that your fried potatoes will turn golden brown.

 9.  Once your potatoes and ribs are done.... then it's time to eat!!! VOILA!

Being an asian, I eat this with warm rice. The two cups of water that we added actually is a nice soup that you can pour over your warm rice. I will have this as my lunch at work! I will bring extra for tasting.