Chinese Style Ribs and Rice Pilaf

Enjoyed even by those non-rice-lovers out there.

Ingredients:

For the marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 TBSP rice vinegar
2 tsp grated ginger
4 garlic cloves - minced
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 - 2 tsp five-spice powder
3 TBSP sugar or honey
4 lb pork spare ribs - trimmed and cut into separate ribs

Combine all ingredients in a shallow, glass dish. Add the ribs and turn to coat. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375. Place ribs with marinade in a foil lined baking dish, cover loosely. Roast in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover and increase oven temp to 400. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until ribs are sticky and glazed.

For the rice:
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 - 1 cup water
2 TBSP + 1 TBSP butter or oil
1 cup wild rice
1 cup basmati or Arborio rice
1/2 onion - finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
1/3 cup currants or dried cranberries
3 TBSP pine nuts
*1 cup sauteed chopped mushrooms (optional)
salt and pepper

~If you cannot cook rices separately, then follow instructions using only 1 pot.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of the broth, 1 TBSP butter and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add the wild rice and reduce heat to low. Let simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, adding more water if needed to cook rice to desired done-ness.
In another saucepan, heat oil or butter over medium heat. Saute the onion about 3 minutes. Add the basmati/arborio rice and stir until all the grains are evenly coated. Stir in Thyme, add the remaining broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add cranberries/currants and bay leaf. Simmer until rice is tender.
When the wild rice is done cooking, add to white rice and stir in pine nuts and mushrooms.