「Sweet and Sour Ribs」

Ingredients and amounts

• Pork ribs: 300 g
• White sugar: 30 g
• Cooking oil: 300-350 ml (adjust based on pot size; for deep frying, enough to cover 2/3 of the ribs)
• Light soy sauce: 5 ml
• Oyster sauce: 5 ml
• Dark soy sauce: 5 ml
• Chicken bouillon: 2 g
• Ginger slices: 2 slices
• Sesame seeds: 2 g
• Ketchup: 10 g
• Black vinegar: 5 ml
• Five-spice powder: 0.5 g

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Place the ribs and ginger slices in cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat until a lot of foam appears, then reduce to medium heat. When the water is steadily boiling, reduce to low heat and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Rinse the ribs repeatedly with boiling water 2-3 times to thoroughly remove any blood foam.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Pour enough cooking oil into the pot for deep frying (about 300 ml for home use). Heat the oil to about 170°C, then fry the ribs for 3-5 minutes until the surface is lightly golden. Remove and drain the oil.

4. 4

   Step 4

   In a clean pot over low heat, heat 50 ml hot water and add 30 g white sugar. Gently stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and turns slightly pale yellow. Focus on the sugar dissolving rather than the color change.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Add the fried ribs to the pot with the sugar water and stir-fry quickly for 30 seconds. Then add 5 ml black vinegar, 5 ml light soy sauce, 5 ml oyster sauce, 2 g chicken bouillon, 10 g ketchup, and 0.5 g five-spice powder. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds to coat the ribs evenly. Add boiling water until the ribs are just submerged.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then add 5 ml dark soy sauce for color and quickly reduce the sauce. If the rib pieces are large, reduce to low heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes for better flavor absorption. Do not simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, as this will damage the texture.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with 2 g sesame seeds, and serve.