Steamed spareribs with black beans

Servings: 2-3

¾ lb. pork spareribs
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
2 Tablespoons dried fermented black beans
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice cooking wine
½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon light soysauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons chopped hot pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

Directions:

This dish utilizes both stir frying and steaming. The stir frying is to make the black bean sauce. You can buy black bean sauce in a container in your friendly neighborhood Asian grocer, but since they are already prepared, you don't have to add the some of the ingredients such as sugar, salt, and soy sauce. We recommend using the fermented black beans because it only takes a couple of minute extra to prepare, and the stir frying brings out the delicious aroma and taste of black beans unmatched by the ones in a container.

1. Cut the spareribs into ½" x 1" long pieces. Wash and soak the fermented black beans for about 5 minutes. Strain off water and then chop them up into smaller pieces.
2. Heat the wok on high, then add the cooking oil after the wok is hot. Stir fry the fermented black beans. Add the rice wine, sugar, salt, and soy sauce. Stir for only 10 seconds. Remove to a bowl and mix thoroughly with the spareribs.
3. Add cornstarch to spareribs and mix thoroughly. Place all of the spareribs onto a plate or a bowl (make sure it fits in your steamer).
4. Heat up the steamer. Sprinkle chopped red pepper and garlic on top of the dish. Put the plate/bowl in a steamer. Cover and steam over high heat for 20 minutes.
5. Once done, transfer the spareribs to a serving plate to serve.