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Steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce
Si jap jing pai gwat (豉汁蒸排骨): bite-sized pork ribs steamed with fermented black beans and garlic
Small saucers of pork spare ribs, chopped into bite-sized chunks and glistening with fermented black bean and garlic, come out of every Hong Kong teahouse steamer from dawn until lunch. Done right, the meat is plump and tender, slips off the little bone with your chopsticks, and sits in a salty, garlicky, faintly sweet juice that is wonderful spooned over rice. At home it makes an easy weeknight dish with rice and some blanched choi sum. The mistake to avoid is skipping the rinse: soak the ribs in cold water first to draw out the blood, otherwise the sauce turns grey and murky. Chef's tip: ask the butcher to chop the ribs into 3 cm pieces across the bone, and add a little potato starch to the marinade, which gives the teahouse silky coating.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the ribs
- 1 ⅛ lb pork spare ribschopped into 3 cm pieces by the butcher
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the marinade
- 1 ½ tbsp fermented black beansrinsed and lightly mashed; check the label is gluten free
- 5 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 1 red chillisliced
- 1 tbsp tamarior gluten-free light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
To serve
- 1 spring onion (optional)thinly sliced
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Soak 1 ⅛ lb pork spare ribs in cold water for 15 minutes to draw out the blood, then rinse, drain and pat very dry.
15 minStep 2: Toss the ribs with ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and leave for 10 minutes. It tenderises the meat; don't use more or it tastes soapy.
10 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium-low heat and fry 5 cloves garlic and 1 ½ tbsp fermented black beans until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant. Let it cool.
2 minStep 4: Mix the ribs with the garlic mixture, 1 red chilli, 1 tbsp tamari, 1 tsp sugar, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground white pepper. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp potato starch and toss until every piece is coated, then stir in 1 tsp sesame oil.
Step 5: Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
Step 6: Spread the ribs in a single layer on a shallow heatproof plate that fits your steamer; a single layer lets them cook evenly.
Step 7: Steam over a high heat until the meat is no longer pink at the bone, the juices run clear and it reaches 160°F.
20 minStep 8: Scatter over 1 spring onion and serve straight from the plate with steamed rice to soak up the juices.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of fermented black beans?
- Kidney or pinto beans, same amount.
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