The aroma of wine mingles with the fragrance of Sichuan pepper and salt, making each bite of the ribs more flavorful as you chew.
For tougher ingredients like pork ribs, which are difficult to cook through and absorb flavor, the technique is especially important: fry them slowly in warm oil, and rely on "splashing Shaoxing wine" for aroma. Picture this: a small silver pot of Shaoxing wine swiftly circles the wok, each distinct drop of wine falling onto the scorching iron surface like pearls cascading onto a jade plate. With a sizzle, white steam rises, flames dance, the wok flips and tosses, and the lingering wine aroma wraps around the crispy, tender ribs in a joyful fusion... In an instant, the fire dies, the steam clears, and the dish appears on the plate.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
400 g (about 14 oz) pork spare ribs
Use rib meat without the breastbone, preferably smaller pieces (as larger ribs tend to have tougher meat), with a bit of fat still attached.
Marinade
2 g salt
10 g (about 2 teaspoons) Shaoxing wine
Other Seasonings
1 g salt
5 g (about 1 teaspoon) Shaoxing wine
1 egg yolk
a small amount of green and red bell peppers
onion and garlic, a small amount of each
Cornstarch - to taste
flour to taste
Flour is primarily used to make the batter, while starch helps create a crispy coating on the ribs. For deep-fried ribs, it's best to use equal amounts of both.
Instructions
Instructions
Preparation
① Cut the pork ribs into 6 cm (about 2.5-inch) pieces, add the marinade seasonings, mix well, and marinate for 1 hour (Figure 2).
*If you have enough time, marinate the ribs a few hours in advance for deeper flavor.
② Add the egg yolk to the marinated ribs (Image 3) and mix well, then gradually add the cornstarch and all-purpose flour (Image 4), mixing until the ribs feel sticky and are coated with a thin batter (Image 5).
*Coating the ribs first helps reduce moisture loss during frying and also gives them a crispier, more textured surface. You can substitute whole eggs for the egg yolks if preferred.
Step 3: Dice an appropriate amount of green and red bell peppers, onion, and garlic, and set aside (Image 6).
Deep-fry the ribs
In a wok, pour in enough oil and heat to 350°F (180°C), then add the battered rib pieces one by one and fry over medium-low heat until golden brown on the surface (Image 7), which takes about 5 minutes; then turn the heat to high and fry until the ribs are crispy and crunchy, then remove and set aside (Image 8).
*Coat the ribs in batter one at a time before carefully adding them to the oil, as they tend to stick together; avoid stirring the oil at this stage to allow the batter on each rib to set and become crisp.
Stir-fry the ribs until cooked through and golden brown.
⑤ Pour out the oil from the wok, leaving just a thin layer without washing the pan. Turn the heat to high and stir-fry the diced green and red bell peppers, diced onion, and minced garlic until fragrant (Figure 9).
*Ensure the entire stir-frying process is done over high heat to maximize the smoky, charred aroma.
⑥ Next, add the ribs, then salt, and evenly sprinkle in the Shaoxing wine. Quickly stir-fry a couple of times before removing from the pan (Figure 10).
Flexible application
This method works well for many ingredients, such as chicken pieces, prawns, fresh squid, and more, though the technique varies slightly for each. For example, when deep-frying chicken pieces, coat them with a thicker layer of starch; for prawns, skip the flour and just dust with a little starch. Also, since the steam from rice wine can soften the prawn shells and ruin the texture, use as little rice wine as possible when making salt-and-pepper prawns. When deep-frying fresh squid, because the meat contains a lot of moisture, you need to apply a thicker batter before frying; otherwise, all the moisture will be lost, resulting in a poor, tough texture.
Cooking Notes
The reason the ribs you get at restaurants are so tender and flavorful is due to a different marinating method. First, add baking soda to soften the meat, and marinate for at least half a day. Then, press your thumb into the meat; if it easily reaches the bone, the ribs are ready. Additionally, a little custard powder can be added for a sweet aroma and golden color that makes the ribs more fragrant and gives them a beautiful hue after frying. However, since custard powder contains additives, it's best to skip it when cooking this dish at home and focus on using quality ingredients instead.