Home Food & Receipts The Secret to Tender and Juicy Spareribs: A Mouth-watering Sweet and Sour...

Food & Receipts

The Secret to Tender and Juicy Spareribs: A Mouth-watering Sweet and Sour Delight for All Ages

16 November, 2024

Are you craving a delicious and tangy dish that your whole family will love? Look no further than our mouth-watering sweet and sour spare ribs! Say goodbye to dry and tough ribs, and hello to tender, flavorful perfection. Today, we’re sharing our secret tips to ensure your ribs turn out perfectly every time.

Master the Art of Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs: Tender, Flavorful Perfection

Ingredients

500g of fresh spare ribs: Look for pinkish-red meat that’s bouncy and not watery. Smaller, flatter ribs tend to be more delicious. When buying, press the meat; it should be bouncy and fresh, with a nice pink color, neither pale nor dark.

3 bell peppers (one of each color of your choice, or omit if preferred)

1 small onion

2 shallots

1 bulb of garlic

3 spicy chili peppers (adjust to your taste)

1 tablespoon of a mix of the following: vinegar, fish sauce, cooking oil, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and sugar. Also, add a tablespoon of beer or Coca-Cola.

A Secret Tip: Add a Splash of Beer or Coca-Cola for Extra Tenderness

Step 1: Prepare the Spare Ribs

Cut the spare ribs into bite-sized pieces, about 4cm each, and soak them in cold water for 30 minutes. This helps remove any impurities and eliminates any unpleasant odors. You can add a pinch of salt to the water if you like.

After soaking, place the ribs in a pot of boiling water to parboil them. Starting from cold water helps release any remaining impurities. Rinse the ribs thoroughly to remove any scum.

Marinate the ribs: In a bowl, combine the ribs with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder. Let the ribs marinate for about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Fry the Spare Ribs

After the ribs have absorbed the flavors, lightly coat them in cornstarch to maintain their tenderness and sweetness. Then, shallow fry the ribs. This technique ensures that the ribs remain intact when stir-fried with the sweet and sour sauce. Be sure not to overfry the ribs, as they will become dry and lose their sweetness.

Step 3: Make the Sweet and Sour Sauce

Chop the bell peppers and onion into small, uniform pieces. If you choose to omit the peppers and onion, skip this step.

To make the sweet and sour sauce, combine 3 tablespoons of good-quality white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 finely chopped chili pepper (adjust the amount to your taste). You can also add a splash of beer or Coca-Cola.

Heat a wok or a large pan, add a little cooking oil, and sauté the shallots and garlic. If you don’t like garlic, simply omit it. Next, add the chili peppers and spare ribs. Once the bell peppers are soft, toss in the onions and pour in the sweet and sour sauce.

Thicken the sauce by gradually adding a mixture of cornstarch and water to the wok. This step ensures a glossy finish to your dish. The combination of cornstarch and beer or Coca-Cola not only tenderizes the meat but also enhances its color and aroma, eliminating any fishy smell.

If you prefer a tangy twist without vinegar, you can substitute it with lemon juice. However, add the lemon juice after cooking, as prolonged heating can make the sauce bitter. When using vinegar, opt for a quality brand to avoid an unpleasant, sharp taste from low-grade industrial acid.