Xiao Jianming's Spareribs with Chiles

• 1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 lb pork spareribs, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces by butcher
• 6 cups plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, coarsely ground in a spice grinder
• 1/2 tablespoon Chinese chile bean sauce or paste
• 3 dried Facing Heaven chiles (1-inch bell-shaped hot red chiles) or 3 (2-inch-long) dried hot red chiles
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil*
• 1 teaspoon chile oil containing sesame oil (such as Chiu Chow Chili Oil from Lee Kum Kee)
• Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

1. Whisk together potato starch mixture and salt in a large bowl, then add ribs and toss to coat.
2. Heat 6 cups peanut oil in a wok or 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until it registers 280F on thermometer.
3. Transfer ribs to wok with a slotted spoon and fry until just beginning to color but not yet pale golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
5. Heat same oil to 380F and fry ribs again, until dark brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more, then transfer to clean paper towels to drain.
6. Transfer hot oil to a large saucepan to cool before discarding.
7. Add remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil, red pepper flakes, and chile bean sauce to cold, cleaned wok, then stir-fry over high heat until fragrant, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
8. Add ribs, whole chiles, wine, sesame seeds, and sugar, and continue stir-frying until chiles are fragrant, about 1 minute.
9. Transfer ribs to a bowl and toss with sesame and chile oils.
10. *We prefer Eden brand sesame oil (available at natural foods stores), which is nutty and well balanced, as well as China Bowl, a supermarket brand, which is a little milder.

potato starch, salt, pork spareribs, peanut oil, pepper, chinese chile bean sauce, chiles, chinese rice wine, sesame seeds, sugar, sesame oil, chile oil containing sesame oil, thermometer

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/xiao-jianmings-spareribs-with-chiles-107983 (may not work)