Meat marinated with fermented black beans and cooked on steam is a typical dish from the South China. It is not only frequently prepared in ordinary families, but also a dish commonly found in dim sum restaurants. If you are a fan of the Cantonese Dim Sum, there is no reason you don’t give this recipe a try as this is the easiest dim sum dish to reproduce at home.
OPTIONS OF MEAT FOR THIS RECIPE
Pork rib is the most frequently chosen meat for this dish, but it is hardly the only option. You can substitute it with chicken wings, beef ribs, or even chopped fish.
Ribs chopped into bite size (around 2/3 length of your finger) are ideal. They are not only easy to cook, but also graceful to eat. However, don’t chop them at home unless you have the butcher’s tools and his skill. As long as the ribs fit into your steamer, the size is not an issue.
Found out other recipe of steamed pork: Steamed pork ribs with glutinous rice flour
THE FERMENTED BLACK BEANS
Although it is a meat dish, the key ingredient to make this dish shine is the small grains of fermented black beans.
The fermented black bean (in Chinese Dòu Chǐ 豆豉) is, as the name tells, cooked soybeans under long period fermentation.
Don’t underestimate these small beans. Each of them is an atomic bomb of umami and saltiness! In Chinese cooking, we use them mainly for marination and seasoning. They go perfectly with meat, fish and certain mollusks (for example, octopus, squid, and razor clam). Adding a small pinch of them into the wok can save a vegetarian stir-fry from being mediocre.
Zero fume ejection, rich in umami flavor, no-cooking skill needed. You don’t need more reason to convince yourself to try this recipe, do you?! Then let’s jump into it!
STEAMED PORK RIBS WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS (豆豉蒸排骨)
Course: SECOND COURSECuisine: Cantonese, CineseDifficulty: Low4
persons20
minutes30
minutes8
minutesMeat marinated with fermented black beans and cooked on steam is a typical dish from the South China. It is not only frequently prepared in ordinary families, but also a dish commonly found in dim sum restaurants. If you are a fan of the Cantonese Dim Sum, there is no reason you don’t give this recipe a try as this is the easiest dim sum dish to reproduce at home.
INGREDIENTS
Pork ribs: 500g (preferred in bite size)
Water: q.b
Sea salt: 1 tbsp
Sunflower oil: 4 tbsp
Bell pepper (optional): 60g, finely chopped
- Marinade
Light soy sauce: 3 tbsp
Dark soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Oyster sauce: 2 tbsp
Sichuan pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Shallot: 25g, sliced
Ginger: 3-4 slices
Corn starch: 2 tbsp
Preparation
- Prepare the marinade
- Rinse gently the fermented black beans to remove the dirt on surface. Cut them finely if you prefer not to eat the big grains.
- Combine all the ingredients listed in the group “Marinade”. Mix them evenly.
- Marinate the meat
- Soak the ribs in water with 1 tsp of sea salt added. Rest it for 30 minutes to extract the blood.
- Wash the ribs under running water meanwhile rubbing them gently to get rid of excess blood and fat.
- Put the ribs and the marinade together in a bowl. Covered the meat evenly with the marinade. Leave them in the fridge overnight.
- Cooking
- Lay a plate in the steamer, then place the ribs into the plate. Meanwhile get rid of the shallot and ginger.
- Pour the excess marinade on the ribs. Then drizzle sunflower olio and (optionally) sprinkle chopped bell pepper on top.
- Cook the meat on steam on medium-high heat for 30 minutes (50 minutes if you prefer to have the meat softer).
VIDEO RECIPE
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