RECIPES FROM THE BOOK

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Hoisin-Lacquered Ribs

When my husband and I started dating, he enjoyed meeting my mom for the first time. But when she made her Hoisin-Lacquered Ribs for him, he fell in love with her (I had secretly coaxed her into making his favorite food). Because this potential son-in-law showed so much enthusiasm for her food, she fell in love with him. That did it for me, too: One way to a Chinese woman's heart is to become infatuated with her mother's cooking. Anyway, I guarantee you'll fall in love with these fall-off-the-bone ribs prepared with a simple Chinese marinade of hoisin sauce, white wine, garlic, ketchup, sugar and salt. They are glistening, tender and completely addictive.

Serves 4 as part of a multi-course meal

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus marinating time

Cooking time: 60 minutes

2½ to 3 lbs (1.25 to 1.5 kg) baby-back ribs

½ cup (125 ml) ketchup

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, homemade or store-bought

1 tablespoon dry white wine

2 teaspoons salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

Trim fat and remove membrane from ribs, then place them in a shallow dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over ribs, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.

Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place ribs in a single layer on a rack in a roasting pan and brush with the marinade sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Turn ribs and brush with more sauce, then continue baking until done, about 30 minutes longer. (Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) for the last 30 minutes if ribs are thin.) Cut ribs apart and serve with hot mustard if desired.