THE TEENChef team invited Edward Daley, who is training at the University of Technology, to give a sample of what Chinese cuisine is about with Sweet and Tangy Spare Ribs.

The flavours of this dish come from the combination of orange zest and ginger. The sauce used makes the ribs juicy and moist and children will enjoy eating them.

Ingredients

2 lbs spare ribs (cut in 3" lengths)

1 fl oz soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 fl oz vegetable oil

1 tsp ginger (finely grated)

1tsp orange zest

1star anise

1cinnamon stick

3 fl oz chicken stock

8 fl oz orange juice

2 tbsp orange liqueur

1 tbsp brown sugar

1orange (zested and segmented)

Method

1 Cut the ribs between the bones into individual pieces. Bring a two-quart pot of water to boil. Add ribs and simmer for three minutes then drain.

2 In a bowl combine soy and oyster sauces, add ribs and stir to ensure that the ribs are fully coated, let stand for 10 minutes

3 Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add ginger and cook, stirring for about 10 seconds until there is a fragrance. Add ribs and cook until brown on all sides for four to five minutes.

4 Add orange zest, star anise, cinnamon sticks and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, for about 45 minutes.

5 Increase heat to high. Add juice, liqueur and sugar. Cook, uncovered, until sauce is reduced and the ribs are glazed. This will need four to six minutes.

6 Place ribs on a serving plate and garnish with orange zest and orange segments.

Tips

* Illicium Verum, commonly called star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavour, obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of northeast Vietnam and southwest China. The star-shaped fruits are harvested just before ripening.

* Make sure that the ribs are fully cooked before adding the list of ingredients in Step 5 as this is the final few minutes of cooking. If these ingredients are allow to cook longer than 10 minutes, their flavours will deteriorate and affect the final flavour of the dish.

— Photos: Rural Elite Promotions