Pork Ribs & Green Bean Stew (排骨炖豆角)

Name: Pork Ribs & Green Bean Stew (排骨炖豆角)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients: 1 kg Pork, spare ribs; 250 g Fresh Green Beans; 3 Leeks - white part only - finely sliced; 6 cloves Minced Garlic; 15 mL Minced Ginger; 3 Dried Chillies; 3 Star Anise; 15 mL light soy sauce; 15 mL Shaoxing Wine; 5 mL dark soy sauce; 15 mL granulated sugar; 1 pinch Salt - to taste

Northeastern food of China is radically different from the delicate steamed dishes of, say, Guangdong, or the fragrant spices of Yunnan. Dongbei (Northeastern) food has much more in common with Eastern European food - thick stews, rich sauces and liberal use of fatty pork. In a previous era, Russia owned much of the Chinese Northeast, and the influence can still be seen in the architecture, and indeed, in many of the dishes. There are four famous stews of the Northeast: stewed pork with vermicelli, stewed chicken with mushrooms, stewed catfish with eggplant and then this: stewed beans with spare ribs - all worth trying if you want to understand the flavours of Dongbei. Similar to Inner Mongolian cuisine, this is food designed to get you through brutal winters that frequently dip below -30°C.

TeaOranges

Prep10 min

Cook30 min

Total40 min

Servings3

Difficultyeasy

ChineseDinner / SupperLunch

Ingredients

1 kgPork, spare ribs
250 gFresh Green Beans
3Leeks - white part only - finely sliced
6 clovesMinced Garlic
15 mLMinced Ginger
3Dried Chillies
3Star Anise
15 mLlight soy sauce
15 mLShaoxing Wine
5 mLdark soy sauce
15 mLgranulated sugar
1 pinchSalt - to taste

Instructions

1
First, top and tail the green beans, then cut them into roughly equal sized pieces about the length of your thumb (3-4 inches). Heat up a wok with a tablespoon of oil on a medium heat and fry the beans in batches until they are blistered and browned on all sides. Remove the beans from the wok and set aside.
2
Add a bit more oil to the pan and then add the spare ribs, frying them until they’re browned on all sides.
3
Add the leek, garlic, ginger, chillies and star anise and fry to a few minutes it’s fragrant.
4
Pour int the soy sauce (light and dark), wine and sugar. Cook for 30 seconds, and then add enough water to cover the ribs (2-3 cups).
5
Simmer for about an hour, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
6
When the water has reduced by about a third, and the meat is tender, add the beans to the stew and cook for another 20 minutes. Taste and season if needed.
7
Note: if you have made the flower rolls, add them about 10 minutes before the end. Push them snuggly into the pan, and then put the lid until they’re soft and fluffy.
8
Serve in a big pot for all to share.