Vietnamese Pork Spareribs Soup with Taro- Canh Khoai Mon voi Suon Heo

1 lb pork spare ribs, chopped into 1-in sections, if you do not have a cleaver, ask the butcher does it.
2 liters water (about 2 quarts)
1 lb taro, peeled and cut into 1-in cubes, prefer large size of taro if you like starchy
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot or 1/2 small yellow onion, coarse chopped
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1/8 tsp ground black pepper and extra for table.
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1-2 green onion, thinly sliced
Cooked rice to serve

1.  Put pork spare ribs in a bowl, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt over them and stir to coat salt with ribs. Set aside about 10-15 minutes while preparing veggie.  Then rinse the ribs with water, drain.  Toss ribs with 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Heating oil in a medium pot over medium high heat.  Add garlic, shallot, stir until fragrant Add ribs, sear to light golden. Add  water and bring it to a boil.  Turn down the heat to medium low, simmer about 20 minutes.  Add taro cubes, and continue simmering for 10-15 minutes until taro soft and the ribs start to separate from the bones. Skim off any foam or scum.   Add fish sauce, sugar, black pepper.  Taste and adjust season to your liking.  
3. Transfer soup to a large bowl or individual bowl.  Sprinkle with sliced green onion and black ground pepper.  Serve with cooked rice. 

Note
    Try the lowest heat while simmering: look for the gentle bubbles will help to keep the liquid clear.
    The pork spare ribs soup  can be use for different kind of roots like squash, carrot, potato, pumpkin, etc.
    If you want to eat with cooked rice Vietnamese style:  Put rice first in your bowl and spoon soup over rice
    You may use the trim from pork spare ribs barbecue for this soup or make a large amount then dividing  into small portions then add veggie or roots of you choices for daily soup.