Pork Ribs with Pickled Cabbage Stew

 Chinese Pork Ribs with Pickled Cabbage Stew 

Ingredients (serves 4-5 people)Main ingredients:

• Pork ribs (spare ribs or baby back ribs) 800–1000g
• Pickled Chinese cabbage (suan cai) 500–700g
• Fresh ginger 4–5 thick slices
• Green onion 2 stalks (cut into sections)
• Garlic 4–5 cloves (lightly crushed)
• Dried red chili (optional) 2–3 pieces

Seasonings:

• Cooking wine / Shaoxing wine 2–3 tbsp
• Light soy sauce 2 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce 1–1½ tsp (for color)
• Rock sugar / regular sugar 10–15g (about 1 tbsp)
• White pepper powder ½–1 tsp
• Salt to taste (usually ½–1 tsp)
• Cooking oil 2–3 tbsp

Optional but highly recommended for better flavor:

• Vermicelli (glass noodles/fun see) 50–80g (soaked)
• A few pieces of Chinese shiitake mushrooms (reconstituted)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the ribs
   • Cut the ribs into 4–6 cm pieces
   • Place ribs in cold water, bring to a boil
   • Boil 1–2 minutes after water boils (this is the "blood-water blanching" step)
   • Pour out all the dirty water, rinse ribs under running water until clean
   • Drain well and set aside
2. Prepare the pickled cabbage
   • Take the suan cai out of the package/bag
   • Rinse 1–2 times with water (depending on how sour/salty it is)
   • Squeeze out excess water
   • Roughly chop into 3–5 cm pieces (some people prefer long strips)
3. Blanch vermicelli (if using)
   • Soak in warm water 10–15 minutes until soft
   • Drain and cut into shorter lengths with scissors
   • Set aside
4. Start cooking – aroma base
   • Heat wok/pot on medium-high heat
   • Add 2–3 tbsp oil
   • Add ginger slices → green onion whites → crushed garlic → dried chili
   • Stir-fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds)
5. Fry the ribs
   • Add blanched ribs into the wok
   • Stir-fry on medium-high heat 4–6 minutes until the surface has some golden color
   • Edges should look slightly seared
6. Season & color
   • Add:
     2–3 tbsp cooking wine → let alcohol evaporate (30 sec)
     2 tbsp light soy sauce
     1–1½ tsp dark soy sauce
     1 tbsp sugar
   • Stir-fry until ribs are evenly coated and colored (about 1–2 minutes)
7. Add pickled cabbage & simmer
   • Add chopped suan cai → stir-fry 1–2 minutes (let it absorb the oil and seasoning)
   • Pour in hot water (or boiling water) until it just covers all ingredients
   • Add white pepper powder
8. Long simmer (the most important step)
   • After water boils, turn to lowest heat, cover with lid
   • Simmer 60–90 minutes (baby back ribs ~60 min, meatier spare ribs ~80–90 min)
   • Check and stir gently once or twice during cooking
   • Keep liquid level just covering the ingredients (add a little hot water if needed)
9. Final adjustments (last 10–15 minutes)
   • Taste the broth → adjust salt (suan cai is already salty, so usually very little salt needed)
   • If using vermicelli + mushrooms → add them now
   • Turn heat to medium, let excess liquid reduce a bit (you want rich but not too dry soup)
10. Finish
    • Taste again → adjust with a little more white pepper or salt if needed
    • Sprinkle some chopped green onion tops
    • Serve hot with rice (or just eat as a very satisfying one-pot meal)

Quick Tips for Best Result

• The longer and slower you simmer, the more tender the ribs and the more flavorful the broth
• Many northern Chinese families like the soup quite sour — if you like it less sour, rinse the suan cai more times
• The best tasting version usually has a beautiful layer of golden oil floating on top (this is very appetizing in Chinese home cooking)