Ingredients
500 g (about 1 lb) braising liquid, 2500 g (about 5.5 lbs) pork ribs, 10 g roasted nuts, 50 g (about 1/4 cup) roasted coix seed (Job's tears).
Seasonings
50 g rock sugar, 3 g each Sichuan peppercorns and salt, 20 g cooking wine, 15 g sesame oil, 1 g MSG.
Instructions
1. Crush the fried nuts and coix seeds, then boil them in water twice, collecting 500 ml (about 2 cups) of the liquid.
2. Wash the pork ribs and lightly crack them with a knife, then place them in a pot with Sichuan peppercorns and bring to a boil; when the ribs are about 60% cooked, skim off any foam, remove the ribs, transfer them to a spice brine pot, and simmer until fully tender, then remove.
3. Pour an appropriate amount of braising liquid into the pot, add rock sugar, MSG, and salt, then simmer over low heat until it reduces into a thick sauce. Splash in cooking wine, then evenly brush the sauce over the ribs, followed by a coat of sesame oil. The finished ribs are glossy red, tender and fall-apart, with a perfectly balanced sweet and savory flavor.