Sweet and Sour Ribs (Tang Cu Pai Gu, 糖醋排骨)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
2 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 12 mins
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Servings
3
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Calories
629 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Sweet and Sour Ribs (Tang Cu Pai Gu, 糖醋排骨)
Description
The preparation starts by blanching pork ribs briefly to remove impurities. The ribs are then stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and scallions to build initial flavor and color. A mixture of white sugar, black rice vinegar (divided in two additions), light and dark soy sauces, salt, and hot water braises the ribs over about 50 minutes until tender.
After braising, aromatics are removed and the liquid is boiled down to a thicker syrup-like sauce that coats the ribs richly. The final dish balances sweet and sour notes with umami from soy sauce and the depth from black rice vinegar. Toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions garnish the platter, providing texture and fresh flavor.
Typically, short ribs are chopped into small pieces for this dish, but whole ribs can be substituted. Preparation in a pressure cooker or instant pot can accelerate cooking time.
Ingredients
- 700 g pork ribs about 1½ lb, see note 1
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 thumb-sized ginger
- 2 talks scallions cut into halves
- 5 tablespoon white sugar or 70 g/2½ oz rock sugar
- 4 tablespoon black rice vinegar divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce light
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- sesame seeds for garnishing, toasted
- scallions for garnishing, finely chopped
Instructions
Blanch the ribs
- Put pork ribs into a large cookware. Fill it with plenty of room temperature water. Bring it to a boil then leave to simmer.
- Skim off the foam appearing on the surface with a spoon. After about 3 minutes, drain the ribs.
Braise the ribs
- Pour oil into a clean wok (or deep pan, pot) then add the drained ribs, garlic, ginger, and scallion. Stir fry over medium heat until the ribs become a little golden on the surface.
- Add sugar, black rice vinegar (keep 1 tablespoon for later use), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and salt. Top up with hot water enough to just level with the ribs (I used about 400ml/1¾ cups).
- Bring to a full boil then turn the heat to low. Cover and leave to simmer for about 50 minutes (see note 2).
Reduce the broth
- When the time is up, uncover and pick out all the garlic, ginger and scallions. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of black rice vinegar. Turn the heat up to high to boil down the liquid.
- Stir from time to time. Once the liquid becomes just thick enough to coat the ribs. Remove from the heat immediately. Be attentive not to overcook as it’ll cause the sugar to burn. It took me about 8 minutes but it may vary in your case.
Garnish and serve
- Transfer the ribs to a serving bowl/plate. Sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions over to garnish.
- They may be eaten while warm or at room temperature. Serve them with plain rice and vegetable dishes.
Notes
- Use pork ribs cut into short pieces for the traditional texture; ask your butcher for assistance if needed.
- Regular larger ribs can be used as an alternative, though cooking times may vary.
- The simmering stage can be expedited using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to reduce overall cooking time.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 629 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 629kcal | 31% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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