Sweet and Sour Ribs–Tang Cu Pai Gu

Everything comforts me. This is today’s recipe: sweet and sour ribs. It is a very popular dish in China, named after the taste. Sweet and sour is a widely loved traditional Chinese flavor. It is a well-balanced sauce that combines soy sauce, sugar and Chinese black vinegar. Let’s learn how to prepare perfect sweet and sour ribs with a simple home procedure.

Restaurant vs home version

For restaurant-style sweet and sour ribs, the ribs are first marinated and then fried in hot oil for less than 1 minute. This step creates a crispy surface and a tender interior, at the same time the ribs will be almost cooked.

In this homemade version, we simmer the ribs with the sauce and then let the sauce thicken in the last step. The texture is slightly different from the restaurant version but quite comforting.

Traditional sweet and sour taste

Sweet and sour is a popular flavor in many Chinese cuisines. But it has different versions. Part of the sweet and sour sauce requires ketchup to create a fruitier sour taste.

However, for this recipe we use black vinegar, soy sauce and coloring sugar (dark red rock sugar color) to create a bright red color.

Sugar color (糖色) is sugar melted with oil or sometimes water, usually having a dark red color. This cooking method is also used in many other dishes such as this Red Braised Pork Belly. Compared to the color acquired by light soy sauce or ketchup, the color of sugar has a stronger viscosity.

Instructions

Step 1. Blanch the ribs

Cut the ribs into 1-inch to 1.5-inch sections. Load a wok with cold water, add the ribs, ginger, shallots and Shaoxing wine. Continue cooking for about 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer and rinse under warm running water. Set aside to drain.

For beginners I recommend drying the ribs with kitchen paper to avoid oil splashes.

Now let’s create a sugar color: Add cooking oil and crushed rock sugar to a bowl wok e heat over a slow fire. Continue stirring until the sugar melts and turns dark red.

Add ribs to coat sugar color and add light soy sauce and black vinegar. Continue to fry for 2 minutes and pour in enough hot water to cover. Optionally add star anise for added naughty flavor.

Cover with the lid and leave to cook for 25 minutes on a low heat. Stir once or twice during the process.

Light the heat in the center, remove the lids and start thickening the sauce. Continue stirring in the last stage so the sugar can cool as it moves and stick to the chops.

Be careful at this stage not to burn the ribs.

You can sprinkle some toasted white sesame seeds as decoration.

My favorite way to serve sweet and sour ribs is to serve them with steamed rice. The sauce will make the rice grain itself so comforting and delicious.

Blanch the ribs

• 1 pound ribs cut into 1- to 1.5-inch sections
• cold water to cover
• 4 green onion
• 3 slices of ginger

Prepare sweet and sour ribs

• 2 spoons kitchen oil
• 35 G rock sugar
• 2 spoons light soy sauce
• 2 spoons cooking wine
• 3 table spoon black vinegar
• 1 star anise optional
• hot water as needed
• 1 table spoon. extra black vinegar

Side

• 1/2 table spoon white sesame seeds for garnish
• Spring onion for garnish

• Cut the ribs into 1-inch to 1.5-inch sections. Load a wok with cold water, add the ribs, ginger, shallots and Shaoxing wine. Continue cooking for about 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer and rinse under warm running water. Set aside to drain. For beginners I recommend drying the ribs with kitchen paper to avoid oil splashes.

• Dissolve the sugar: Add the cooking oil and crushed rock sugar to a bowl wok e heat over a slow fire. Continue stirring until the sugar melts and turns dark red.

• Add the ribs to coat the color of the sugar and fry until the ribs are well colored.

• Pour in enough hot water to cover. Add light soy sauce, black vinegar and optionally add star anise to add a naughty flavor.

• Cover with the lid and leave to cook for 25 minutes on a low heat. Stir once or twice during the process.Light the heat in the center, remove the lids and start thickening the sauce. Continue stirring in the last stage so the sugar can cool as it moves and stick to the chops.

• Add 1 extra tablespoon of black vinegar before transferring. Be careful at this stage not to burn the ribs.

• Garnish with chopped onions before serving.

1. When frying sugar color, use the slowest heat and keep stirring. Remove the work from the heat if the temperature is too hot.
2. The ribs must be drained completely before adding them to the wok, otherwise the sugar color may run through.

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 15G | Protein: 18G | Fat: 34G | Saturated fats: 8G | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 335mg | Sugar: 12G | Vitamin A: 100UI | C vitamin: 1.9mg | Soccer: 40mg | Iron: 1.9mg