Cantonese Style Spare Ribs with Veggie Spring Rolls

My youngest daughter brought home a Chinese cook book from the school library, and kindly demanded the ribs. That was the jumping off point of this recipe. I simplified the preparation to accommodate my odd sleep schedule and paired it with spring rolls to help cool us off on this hot, sticky day.

The spring rolls are prepared in the fresh style--that is, no deep-fat frying. I left the filling undressed to facilitate dipping (love plum sauce!). To increase portability, combine the filling with the dressing before rolling.

I apologize for the quality of the photos. I didn't realize the batteries on my camera were on their last electron prior to chowing down, hence the weird focus.

Cantonese Style BBQ Spareribs

Ingredients:

1 tbs ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 c soy sauce

1/3 c hoisin sauce

1/3 c plum sauce

1 tbs whole peppercorns

2 lb pork spareribs, cut apart

2 tbs honey

Directions:

Combine ginger, garlic, sauces, and pepper in a large bowl; add ribs and toss to coat. Place ribs and sauce in crock pot and allow to cook on low for 6 hours.

Set oven to broil and place the rack on the highest level. Remove ribs from the sauce and place on a baking sheet. Brush the ribs with the honey and broil for about 3 minutes, or until the ribs have a glazed appearance. Flip ribs, brush with honey, and broil another 3 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Veggie Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

1 tbs sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

8oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

8 spring roll wrappers, soaked according to directions

1 c carrots, matchstick cut

1/4 red bell pepper, matchstick cut

2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced lengthwise and cut into 5" lengths

1 jalapeno, matchstick cut (optional)

1 c alfalfa sprouts

Directions:

In a small skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute until just soft. Stir in mushrooms and cook until tender (about 4 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Lay out a softened spring roll wrapper. At about one-third up from the edge closest to you, arrange a 5" layer of carrot using about 2 tablespoons of carrot per roll. Top with several slices of bell pepper, green onion, and jalapeno (if desired). Add 2 tablespoons of alfalfa sprouts. Bring the end of the wrapper closest to you over the fillings, and roll tightly until half the wrapper is aroung the filling. Bring in the left and right sides of the wrapper over the center, and then roll the rest of the way. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling ingredients.

Bias slice each roll in half and serve with plum dipping sauce. Makes 8 rolls.

Plum Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 c plum sauce

3 tbs rice vinegar

1/4 c water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs sunflower seeds

Directions:

Blend all iingredients until smooth. Refridgerate at least 30 minutes before use. Makes about 3/4 cups of dipping sauce.