Steamed Pork Ribs with Rice Flour Mixture
A classic Chinese steamed dish, with pork ribs coated in homemade rice flour, steamed until tender and flavorful. The rice flour absorbs the meat juices, creating a soft and aromatic delight.
Ingredients
11 items- Pork spare ribs 500g
- Rice (long-grain) 150g
- Potato 1 medium (200g)
- Fermented red bean curd (nam yue) 2 tablespoons
- Cooking wine (Shaoxing) 2 tablespoons
- Light soy sauce 2 tablespoons
- Dark soy sauce 1 teaspoon
- Sugar 1 tablespoon
- Five-spice powder 1 teaspoon
- Fresh ginger 1 small piece
- Scallions 2 stalks
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Cut pork ribs into 4-5 cm pieces. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, changing water once, to remove blood. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Place ribs in a large bowl. Add fermented bean curd paste, cooking wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and minced ginger. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
In a dry pan, toast the rice with a few Sichuan peppercorns and star anise over low heat for about 8 minutes until light golden and fragrant. Cool, remove spices, and grind in a food processor to a coarse powder.
Add the ground rice flour to the marinated ribs and mix thoroughly, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. If too dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of broth or water to moisten.
Line a deep plate or steamer basket with potato chunks. Arrange the coated ribs in a single layer on top, leaving small gaps for steam.
Bring water in the steamer to a boil. Place the plate in the steamer, cover, and steam over high heat for about 1 hour until the ribs are tender and the rice flour is soft; a chopstick should pierce the meat easily.
Turn off heat, remove from steamer, and garnish with chopped scallions. Sprinkle with a pinch of white pepper or chili powder if desired.
Tips
1. Fermented red bean curd is essential for signature flavor; mash it well. 2. Homemade rice flour is more fragrant; dry-fry rice until pale golden and grind to a coarse texture. 3. Marinate ribs longer for deeper flavor, overnight is best. 4. Adjust steaming time based on rib size; ensure they are fall-off-the-bone tender. 5. The potato base soaks up delicious juices – you can also use sweet potato or pumpkin.
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