Potion:
- soy sauce
- mirin (Japanese rice vinegar)
- sake
- star anise
- bay leaves
- garlic
- ginger
- sugar or honey
- chilli
- msg
- pepper
Mix together all of the potion ingredients and pour into a large wok. Bring to close to the boil and hold on low heat for a gentle simmer. Add the ribs to gently poach in the potion for 30 mins.
Remove the ribs from the wok and set aside to cool. Set aside a few tablespoons of the potion to cool and use for thickening.
Turn up the heat under the wok, and boil hard to reduce the stock.
Add a tablespoon of arrowroot to the sauce which has been set aside and mix thoroughly. When the potion has reduced by about half its volume, add the arrowroot mixture back to the potion and boil for two minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow the potion to cool then in the wok for a short time, just to make sure that that it won't melt a plastic bag, or burn your skin.
Place the ribs in a large strong food bag (or other container) and pour the potion over them. Seal, allow to cool and place in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour and preferably overnight. The partially cooked and marinaded ribs can be frozen at this point.
Finish off for 5 mins under a hot grill. Serve with a simple salad, and a rice dish to follow. Since it's finger food, it's difficult to eat rice at the same time.
