Braised Pork Ribs 红烧排骨 by Lily Tan


Ingredients:- Approx 500g pork ribs - ideally more meaty, less boney and with some fats (cut to short chunks)
- 7-10 pcs small crystal sugar cubes 小冰糖块 (MUST HAVE)
- 5 ginger slices
- 3 spring onion - white part (cut to small section)
- 2 cinnamon sticks 桂皮
- 2-3 star anise pods 八角
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine / Yellow wine 绍兴花雕酒 / 黄酒
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

1) Blanch pork ribs in boiling water for about 5-8 mins to remove any scum. Drain the pork ribs and set aside.

2) Heat wok with some oil, using SMALL flame, add crystal sugar (smashed into smaller bits) and keep stirring till the sugar caramelized into a light brown sauce. {Do not take short cut to use high flame else sugar will have a charred taste.)

3) Add pork ribs, turn to MEDIUM flame, stir-fry till all ribs are evenly coated with the light brown sauce. Add ginger, spring onions, cinnamon sticks and star anise pods, quick mix them.

4) Pour boiling water into the wok; water level to cover above all ribs. Add Chinese wine and dark soy sauce, turn up to HIGH flame to boil for 3-4 minutes. {The sauce colour may look pale now, but it will turn darker after simmering.}

5) Cover wok with lid tightly, turn to LOW flame and let it simmer. Alternatively, may transfer to a pot if wok lid is not tight or for quicker cooking time, transfer to a pressure-cooker. Simmer for about 40-60 mins or till the ribs are soft enough to be pierced through with a chopstick. {At this point, the sauce should have been absorbed and dried up to about just one-third.}

6) Then turn up to HIGH flame and add salt. {Salt is added last to achieve soft tender meat 软烂的口感, however if prefer meat more chewy 有嚼劲的口感, then add salt before simmering.} Stir-well to mix ribs with sauce to get a nice even coat. The ribs will be ready when the sauce is absorbed and left with just little at the bottom of the wok. Ready to serve with some garnishing of spring onions and parsley.

* If need to reheat the pork ribs for later consumption, suggest steaming it rather than using microwave.