Braised Spare Ribs with Mushroom, Leek & Green Beans and Garlic Mashed Potato

The term spare ribs actually originates from the German word rippenspeer or "spear ribs" as this cut of meat was usually skewered through a spear and roasted over fire. BBQ spareribs are a staple of Chinese restaurants but for this dish, I decided to braise it with coconut milk, ginger, honey (or molasses) , onions, garlic, lime juice and fresh jalapenos.

I started off by first searing the spare ribs (seasoned with salt and pepper) to get a slight browning on the outside. Then I added all the ingredients together and marinated the spare ribs in it for a few hours in the refrigerator. After that, all you have to do is cover the spare ribs and its marinate with a tin foil and pop it into the oven for between one to two hours at a relatively low temperature of 350F. Remember to baste the spare ribs every 15 minutes or so to keep the meat moist. Check for tenderness towards the end and the spare ribs should be done when the meat falls of the bone easily.

As for the side dishes, I have steamed green beans topped with sauteed mushrooms and leeks and homemade mashed garlic and parmesan potatoes, garnished with chives.