Name: Spareribs yasai suzuke
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 kg pork spareribs (see note); 3 litres vegetable oil; 30 gm ginger, finely grated; 3 cloves garlic; 10 fresh bay leaves; 3 cloves; Star anise and honey soy sauce; 200 gm white sugar; 250 gm honey; 200 ml yamasa or light soy sauce; 15 ml each sesame oil and vegetable oil; 100 gm ginger, finely chopped or grated; 100 gm garlic (about 1 head), finely chopped; 1 white onion, finely chopped; 2-3 whole star anise; Konbu pickles; 500 ml rice wine vinegar (2 cups); 150 gm white sugar; 1 fresh bay leaf; 2 cloves; 2 tsp black peppercorns; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 100 gm cauliflower, cut into small florets; 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced; ½ Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced; 100 gm daikon, peeled, cut into 5mm batons; 100 gm cherry tomatoes, large ones halved

Spareribs yasai suzuke

Australian Gourmet Traveller and Toko restaurant's Japanese entree recipe for spareribs yasai suzuke

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

1H 40M

Total

1H 55M

“The spareribs at Sydney’s Toko are superb. Would you ask chef Alun Evans for the recipe?”

Willow Wren Alexander, Brisbane, Qld

Request a recipe

To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

You will need to start this recipe the day before.

Ingredients

1 kg pork spareribs (see note)

3 litres vegetable oil

30 gm ginger, finely grated

3 cloves garlic

10 fresh bay leaves

3 cloves

Star anise and honey soy sauce

200 gm white sugar

250 gm honey

200 ml yamasa or light soy sauce

15 ml each sesame oil and vegetable oil

100 gm ginger, finely chopped or grated

100 gm garlic (about 1 head), finely chopped

1 white onion, finely chopped

2-3 whole star anise

Konbu pickles

500 ml rice wine vinegar (2 cups)

150 gm white sugar

1 fresh bay leaf

2 cloves

2 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp coriander seeds

100 gm cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

½ Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

100 gm daikon, peeled, cut into 5mm batons

100 gm cherry tomatoes, large ones halved

Method

Main

1.For konbu pickles, combine all ingredients except vegetables, and ¼ cup sea salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Cool. Add vegetables and refrigerate overnight.

2.Combine ribs and 1 tbsp salt in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove, rinse, drain and pat dry with absorbent paper.

3.Preheat oven to 160C. Place ribs in a large roasting pan with oil, ginger, garlic, bay leaves and cloves. Roast for 1½ hours or until tender. Remove from oven and cool ribs in oil. Remove ribs, drain well, discarding oil, and pat dry with absorbent paper to absorb oil.

4.For star anise and honey soy sauce, combine all ingredients. Makes 3 cups. Combine ribs and sauce and marinate for 2-3 hours. Remove half the ribs from sauce and transfer to a frying pan over medium heat, add ½ cup sauce and cook for 5 minutes, turning frequently, or until sauce caramelises and ribs are warmed through. Repeat with remaining ribs. Serve immediately with konbu pickles to the side.

Note Ask your butcher to cut spareribs in half crossways for you.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Michele Finato