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1
Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
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2
Trim any excess fat from the ribs and place them in a long shallow dish.
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3
In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients; if you are using 5-spice powder, add it to the mixture by putting it through a tea strainer so it spreads out over the mixture.
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4
Mix well, and pour over the ribs and leave for 3 hours at room temperature or about 6 hours in the refrigerator.
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5
Baste the ribs every hours or so, turning them over.
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6
Remove the ribs from the marinade.
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7
Add the 1/4 cup plum sauce to the marinade; reserve it for basting.
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8
Hook metal drapery hooks through both ends of each rack of ribs, at the top, and hang each one as if you were hanging a hammock, suspended from the bars of one of the oven racks.
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9
Set the oven rack in the highest position in the oven.
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10
On the floor of the oven or on another oven rack set at the lowest position in the oven, place a baking pan half filled with water, to collect drippings and prevent smoking.
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11
You may want to line the baking pan with aluminum foil before putting the water in, to make it easier to clean.
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12
Roast the spareribs for 45 minutes in the preheated oven.
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13
Then baste them with the reserved basting sauce, using a small pastery brush and carefully pulling out the oven rack to facilitate the basting process.
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14
Turn the oven up to 450F (230C) and roast for another 15 minutes.
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15
By this time the spareribs should be a rich golden brown with crisp edges.
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16
Baste again, then take them out of the oven.
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17
Place the ribs on a cutting board and remove the drapery hooks.
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18
Separate the individual ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife.
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19
Serve at room temperature, with dipping sauce.
