Chinese inspired Coca-Cola ribs

Serves 4

Preparation time: 5 minutes   
Cooking time:
2 - 2½ hours 

Ingredients
1 rack of spare ribs, 2 racks of baby back ribs or vegan ribs 
1 large onion 
2 tbsp Ginger 
2 tbsp Garlic 
2 red chillies 
2 cinnamon sticks 
4 star anise 
8 cloves
1 tablespoon of whole Szechuan peppercorns or black peppercorns 
1 litre of cola 

Glaze 
2 tbsp hoisin sauce 
2 tbsp soy sauce 
1 tbsp fish sauce 
1 tsp rice wine or sherry (optional)

Method
Put the all rib ingredients into an oven dish, cover with foil and put into a 180c oven for 1½/2 hours. You know when they are done as you can push a spoon through the fattest part easily. You don’t want them to be so cooked however that they fall apart. 

You can now either finish cooking now or finish off later. 

Remove from the oven, carefully scrape off the vegetables and place the ribs to one side. Strain 350ml of the cooking liquid into a medium/large saucepan. Add the glaze ingredients and Put on a fairly high heat and reduce for 10-20 minutes. You want a thick sticky sauce that will easily brush on to your ribs and not run off. 

Place on to the braai or BBQ and brush liberally with the glaze. Turn every few minutes so it doesn't burn, re-brush with sauce every time you turn. Cook until brown and sticky.