Ingredients
750 g pork spare ribs (about 1.65 lbs), 150 g sweet potato (about 5 oz), 100 g rice (about 3.5 oz), 50 g celery (about 1.75 oz).
Seasonings
20 g brown sugar syrup, 15 g each of ginger, scallion, and fermented rice juice, 10 g each of fermented bean curd juice and broad bean paste, 2 g each of Sichuan peppercorns and salt, and soy sauce to taste.
Instructions
1. Dry-fry the rice in a wok over low heat until it turns light yellow, then remove and grind into a coarse powder; wash the pork ribs, cut along the meat between the bones, chop into about 7 cm (2.75-inch) pieces, and trim away some meat from both ends so the bones are neatly exposed.
2. Wash and peel the ginger, then lightly crush it; finely chop the ginger together with the scallions and Sichuan peppercorns. Place the trimmed pork ribs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together soy sauce, fermented bean curd juice, brown sugar syrup, Pixian broad bean paste, fermented rice wine, Sichuan salt, and the minced ginger, scallion, and Sichuan peppercorn mixture until well combined. Pour this mixture over the ribs and toss to coat evenly, then add the rice flour and mix thoroughly.
3. Peel and wash the sweet potato, cut into irregular chunks, and place them in a small bamboo steamer. Then neatly arrange the seasoned pork ribs on top of the sweet potatoes, cover the steamer, and steam over a pot of boiling water until the ribs are tender and fully cooked. Remove from heat, uncover, and garnish with a few washed tender celery leaves. This dish is shaped like a jade hairpin, with soft, tender meat and a rich, aromatic flavor, full of rustic countryside charm.