Easy Chinese Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs (Tang Cu Xiao Pai)
These Chinese sweet and sour spare ribs (Tang Cu Xiao Pai) are sticky, tender, and full of flavor. Made from scratch with simple ingredients and no deep-frying, this stovetop recipe is easy to follow and guaranteed to impress!
Servings: 8 Servings
Equipment
- Wok or deep pan
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg (about 4 lbs) pork ribs
- 200 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar brown
- 50 g (1.8 oz) ginger root
- 700 ml (23.7 fl.oz/ 3 cups) chicken stock
- 6 star anise
- 5 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 5 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 2½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon salt , or to taste (SEE NOTES)
- 2 whole dried red pepper
- spring onion, chopped, for garnish OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Cut ribs apart right between the bones into individual pieces. Put the separated ribs in a pot with boiling water, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime peel and slice ginger root and combine all liquid ingredients, except oil.
- Remove the parboiled ribs from the pot, then rinse the meat with cold tap water and set aside.
- Next combine sunflower oil and brown sugar in a wok or large deep pan and heat over medium heat. Keep stirring until the sugar has melted.
- Add parboiled ribs to the oil – sugar mixture and mix everything nicely. Hint: Use a wooden spoon when doing all the mixing, because when the caramel hardens and sticks on the wooden spoon, it's easier to remove, then when using a metal spoon.
- Add wet ingredient mixture, chili, salt, ginger and star anise. Bring to a boil and let cook for about 40 minutes, partially covered. Keep stirring in between.
- After skim off excess oil and turn up the heat to a high heat and let cook for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove the ribs from the wok or pan and serve. These Chinese sweet and sour spare ribs pair wonderfully with steamed jasmine or basmati rice, or even rcoconut rice for a richer twist. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This dish doesn’t need much salt, as soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, and chicken stock already add plenty of seasoning. Use a maximum of ½ teaspoon, or adjust to your preference.