Gather all the ingredients.

In a small bowl, mix together all the dry rub ingredients: 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 tsp shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), and ¼ tsp white pepper powder.

Remove the membrane from the underside of 3½ lb pork baby back ribs, pulling it down the entire length of the rack with a paper towel (because it‘s very slippery!). You can ask the butcher to remove it for you.

Season the racks of ribs with the dry rub mixture on both sides. Use the dry rub to cover all sides, and then rub in thoroughly. Set aside for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine ¼ cup sake, ¼ cup mirin, ½ cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 4 Tbsp brown sugar, and 3 Tbsp honey.

Grate 1 knob ginger and mince 1 clove garlic. Add them to the sauce. If you want to add ¼ tsp liquid smoke, add it now.

Cook/simmer the sauce on low heat for 30–40 minutes.

Turn off the heat. The sauce still may be liquidy, but once it cools down, the sauce will get thicken further.

Place the metal steam rack into a 6-QT Instant Pot. Add 1 cup water and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar to the inner pot.

Put the racks of ribs sideways on top of the steam rack, wrapping and bending the ribs in a circle.

Select the Manual setting; adjust the pressure to High, and set the time for 25–30 minutes.

When finished cooking, natural release the pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release the pressure.

Preheat the broiler with a rack placed about 6 inches away from the top heating element for 5 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Transfer the ribs from the Instant Pot to the wire rack.

Brush with the sauce on both sides of the ribs.

Place in the oven and broil until the sauce is caramelized, bubbly, and brown, about 3–4 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush more sauce on the ribs.

Sprinkle 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds and 1 green onion/scallion (chopped). Serve immediately with the remaining sauce.