When it comes to hosting a home feast, there are always a few dishes that appeal to all ages and tastes. “Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs” unquestionably tops the list of the most popular dishes. Every time it’s served, it creates a small stir at the table. Grown-ups abandon manners and join kids in a frenzy to grab a share. In just a few moments, a plate piled high with sweet and sour spare ribs disappears without a trace.
Sweet and sour spare ribs come in various versions. There’s the intricate and elaborate restaurant-level professional version, the southern-style sweet and sour spare ribs with flavors close to Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisines, and the modified versions by chefs, such as those with added tomato sauce. This time, I’m sharing my foolproof “Lazy-style Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs,” a super simple method that skips traditional steps like blanching and deep-frying, saving a considerable amount of time. Just master the golden ratio: 1, 2, 3, 4 (detailed in the steps), and even a novice with zero cooking experience can create sweet and sour spare ribs comparable to restaurant-level deliciousness!
Ingredients:
- Pork spare ribs: 500g
- Cooking wine: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: 3g
- Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Rice vinegar: 3 tablespoons
- White sugar: 4 tablespoons
- Ginger slices
Lazy-style Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs Recipe:
- Rinse the pork spare ribs, drain excess water, and set aside.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a pan, sauté the ginger slices until fragrant.
- Add the spare ribs and stir-fry until they change color and the surface is golden and slightly crispy.
- Add the cooking wine, followed by soy sauce, rice vinegar, and finally, white sugar. Stir well.
- Pour in enough boiling water to submerge the spare ribs, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, add salt, increase the heat to high, and reduce the sauce until thick and glossy. Sprinkle sesame seeds for garnish.
Cooking Tips:
- Choose pure pork spare ribs for this dish, preferably with some tender bones, as this part has soft and tender meat, making it ideal for sweet and sour spare ribs.
- Before frying the spare ribs, try to remove excess water by patting them dry with kitchen paper. This prevents splattering during frying.
- When sprinkling cooking wine, pour it along the edge of the pan for even distribution.
- Adjust the ratio of 3 tablespoons rice vinegar and 4 tablespoons sugar based on personal preference. If you like it more tangy, you can switch to 4 tablespoons rice vinegar and 3 tablespoons sugar.
- For a darker color, you can add a small amount of dark soy sauce when adding salt.
Enjoy your Lazy-style Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs – a dish that’s sure to please every palate at your National Day home feast!
