Garlic and black bean spare ribs with rice

Steam spare ribs or pai gwat is a classic dim sum item found in cantonese cuisine. Restaurants will sometimes serve Spare Rib Rice, which is pretty much the steam spare rib combine with rice and sweet soy. Here's my rendition of the dish.

Steamed Spareribs In Garlic and Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients
1 lb pork spareribs, cut crosswise into; 1-inch pieces
1 tb cornstarch
2 tb salted black beans
1 ts peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 tb minced garlic
1/4 ts salt
1 ts sugar
2 tb light soy sauce
1 tb rice wine
1 ts sesame oil
1 sm red or green chile pepper - sliced
1 green onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups of jasime rice cooked
5-6 shiitake mushrooms (optional)
Sweet Soy sauce

1. Wash and trim all excess fat from the ribs.
2. Shake of excess water from the ribs and coat with corn starch.
3. Soak black beans in water for 3 -5 mins to soften it and to remove some of the salt.
4. Drain the black beans and place into a small bowl. Smash the beans with a spoon. Combine all other ingredients and mix well. Pour over the ribs and mix.

Cooking the ribs- 2 methods
1. The traditional way of cooking the ribs if to steam it, 45 mins.
2. Since I don't have anything big enough to steam stuff in, I decided to cook it in the oven.
a. Take a large sheet of foil and fold up the edges. Pour the ribs into the foil and add 1/2 cup water.
b. Bring the edges of the foil together and fold the sides closed, making a enclosed pouch.
c. Bake at 390 for 40 mins.
d. While the ribs are baking, wash the rice and set aside. Start the rice cooker when there is a 20 mins left on the ribs. If you decide to add mushrooms add them to the rice cooker.
e. When the ribs are done carefully open up the fold package and spoon it over the rice. Do not poor all the sauce into the rice, it will be too salty. Add a few tablespoons of sweet soy and taste. Adjust the salt/sweetness balance with the rib dripping and sweet soy.