Steamed Chili Paste with Fermented Soy Bean Lemongrass Pork Baby Back Ribs (湖南豆豉辣椒檸檬葉蒸排骨, Wu4 Naam4 Dau6 Si6 Laat6 Ziu1 Ning4 Mung4 Jip6 Zing1 Paai4 Gwat1)

This is an easy to prepare spicy pork rib recipe using chili paste with fermented soy bean and lemongrass. Steaming takes only 30 minutes to finish the dish. The pork ribs do not require any marinating beforehand, but this certainly can be done if desired. Serve with some vegetables and rice, and dinner is served!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1½ lb.	750 g.	Pork baby back ribs (排骨, paai4 gwat1), cut into individual ribs
2 Tbs.	30 ml.	Fu Chi Foods brand chili paste with fermented soy bean (湖南豆豉辣椒, wu4 naam4 dau6 si6 laat6 ziu1) or equivalent
2-3 stalks	2-3 stalks	Lemongrass (檸檬葉, ning4 mung4 jip6), white portions only cut into thin pieces
½ in.	15 mm.	Knob of ginger (薑, goeng1), crushed in a garlic press
2 cloves	2 cloves	Garlic (蒜, syun3), crushed in a garlic press
1 Tbs.	15 ml.	Shaoxing rice wine (紹興酒, siu6 hing1 zau2) or dry sherry
½ tsp.	2.5 ml.	Ground white pepper (白胡椒, baak6 wu4 ziu1)
½ Tbs.	7.5 ml.	Sesame oil (麻油, maa4 jau4)
		Water for steaming

 

Equipment

		Garlic press
12 in.	30 cm.	Steamer (or larger)
9 in.	23 cm.	Plate or bowl for steaming
		Plate lifter

 

Instructions

The number of individual pork baby back ribs needed depends upon the size of your steaming bowl. For a 9-inch (23 cm.) plate, approximately 8 ribs (about ½ a rack of baby back ribs) can be used. Since pork baby back ribs usually are packaged as a full rack, you’ll use only a portion of the full rack to make this dish. The remainder of the pork ribs can be used for other dishes.

Fu Chi Foods Brand Chili
Paste with Fermented Soy Bean
(湖南豆豉辣椒,
wu4 naam4 dau6 si6 laat6 ziu1)

1. Remove the membrane from the back of the spareribs before cutting into individual pieces. Use your fingers or a small knife to poke under the membrane starting at the end with the largest rib bone and then pull the membrane the length of the spareribs towards the smaller bones. You usually have to do this in stages especially if the membrane doesn’t come off all at once and in one piece. Cut enough ribs from the full rack to fill the steaming plate (about 7-8 ribs). Place the pork baby back ribs into the steaming plate.
2. Remove the tough outer skin from the lemongrass and cut the tender white portion into thin pieces.
3. Prepare and mix the sauce in a small bowl: add the Fu Chi Foods brand chili paste with fermented soy bean or equivalent, ginger and garlic crushed in a garlic press, Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, ground white pepper, and sesame oil. You want to make a paste, so reduce the amount of Shaoxing rice wine before the mixture becomes too liquid.
4. Apply the sauce to the ribs and coat every surface with the paste. Arrange the pork baby back ribs in the steaming plate and then top with the cut lemongrass.
5. Add water to the steamer and cover. Bring the water in the steamer to a vigorous boil before adding the plate with the pork baby back ribs and steam on high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium to medium-low and steam for another 25 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, use a plate lifter to remove the plate with the pork baby back ribs from the steamer. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables.