Ingredients

• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• few whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tbsp five-spice powder
• salt
• 1kg/2lb 4oz pork spare ribs
• ½ bunch spring onions
• trimmed
• chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• few squidges honey
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• peeled
• finely chopped
• 150ml/5fl oz soy sauce
• 1 lime
• zest only
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
• 1-2 red chillies
• deseeded
• finely sliced

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Line a large baking tray or roasting tin with aluminium foil.
• For the rub
• crush the star anise
• fennel seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a pestle and mortar. Then add the five-spice powder and some salt and mix together to combine.
• Put the ribs into a bowl
• sprinkle over the rub mixture and rub everything in. Tip the ribs onto the baking tray and spread them out in a single layer.
• Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile
• mix all the ingredients for the honey glaze in a small pan. Warm over a low heat until the honey is melted and all the ingredients are well combined.
• Remove the ribs from the oven
• brush generously with the honey glaze
• then sprinkle with the spring onions and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Set the rest of the honey glaze aside for later.)
• Return the ribs to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes.
• Once the ribs are cooked
• remove them from the oven and tip them onto a large plate. Reheat the remaining honey glaze and serve as a dipping sauce with the ribs and a large green salad.