pork rib arrabiata (spicy tomato) spaghetti

Seafood spaghetti works equally well with arrabiata (spicy tomato) sauce as with alio olio. It is kind of boring though, and personally my preference is the latter.

I tried a pork rib arrabiata at Capri with some friends last October (2012), so I thought I will give that a try. Having found a very easy youtube kakuni recipe to slow braise belly pork which I like very much, I thought I would vary it a little to braise the pork ribs.

seafood arrabiata spaghetti

So I follow the kakuni recipe – put the cleaned pork ribs in a pot, add 1 cup of mirin, 1 tablesppon sugar, 2 tablespoon light soy sauce, bring to boil over an induction cooker and braise for 1.5 hr at low heat (100W). I then added canned whole tomatoes which I have diced & also the tomato sauce from the can, and added diced yellow onions. I continue to braise the pork ribs for another 1/2hr by which time the pork is fork tender and falling off the bones.

pork rib arrabiata spaghetti

The same way as I did for alio olio, I return the fragrant olive oil with browned garlic cloves kept aside earlier and fry with chilli padi in a hot wok, then empty the pork ribs with the spicy onions, tomatoes & sauce into the wok, heat briefly, turn off the fire, add the ready spaghetti & toss & add sea salt to taste, and garnish the dish with fresh basil from the garden before serving.

The same recipe works for belly pork (see picture below), which I prefer over the pork ribs.

belly pork arrabiata spaghetti

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

1. 250g (1/2 packet) spaghetti (serves 2-3)
2. 4 tbsp olive oil
3. 1 bulb garlic peeled & ready in whole cloves
4. 500g pork ribs in 2 inch cuts
5. 1 cup mirin
6. 1 tbsp sugar
7. 2 tbsp light soy sauce
8. 1 small yellow onion diced
9. 1 or 2 chilli padi
10. sea salt & pepper to taste
11. 1 cup of washed fresh basil

Directions:

1. Braising the pork ribs – pour boiling water over the ribs & clean it in cold water. put in pot with 1 cup mirin, 2 cups water, 2 tbsp light soy sauce & 1 tbsp sugar, braise for 1.5hr. add diced canned whole tomatoes & sauce, diced yellow onions, and braise for a further 1/2hr
2. Prepare the garlic olive oil – stir-fry whole garlic cloves on low heat to brown the garlic & flavour the oil.
3. Prepare the spaghetti – add some salt & oil to water and boil the spaghetti according to timing instructions & drain in a colander.
4. Cook – empty the prepared olive oil & browned garlic into a hot wok & add cut chilli padi. pour the  braised pork ribs with the spicy onion & tomatoes & sauce into the wok. heat briefly then turn off the fire, add in the spaghetti & toss & add sea salt to taste. Place the spaghetti in a serving dish and garnish with fresh basil leaves.