Braised Pork Ribs With Coriander Seeds

 

How do you enjoy pork ribs? In Chinese cookery, sweet and sour is one of the most popular flavor combinations. And cooked pork ribs with soy sauce. Or black bean sauce with steamed pork ribs, and the list go on….

Have you ever tried braised pork ribs with cilantro roots OR stems and coriander seed? Cilantro's roots or stems, and coriander seeds are what make these ribs unique.  You only need a little bit of patience, but it will be well worth it.

When you visit a supermarket, you will find two different types of ribs: back ribs and side ribs, often known as spareribs. Back ribs cost more, but they are also tastier and have a greater flavour. They will be more uniform in size if you cut them into separate, individual pieces. Even while spareribs are less expensive, they are also more erratic, thus cutting them into individual ribs won't produce the same attractive results. My back ribs will be sliced into individual pieces. You can just grab a piece with your hands and chew on it; it is so delicious!

If you’ve pork ribs in Chinese restaurants, you must have noticed how small the pork ribs look. Instead of using regular-sized ones which measure around 3 inches. Chinese prefer chopping them into small chunks which can be easily picked up by chopsticks. I think part of that has to do with the fact that it’s a lot more energy-efficient to cook little pieces quickly. That said, please feel free to cut the ribs with whichever size you prefer.

 

INGREDIENTS

900g of separate ribs from the back, cut into small pieces

5 roots of cilantro

10 garlic cloves

2 tsp of white peppercorns

Marinade

4 tsp toasted coriander seeds

5 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp hot sauce or chili sauce (optional)

2 tsp dark soy sauce

 

METHODS

1. Slightly toast the coriander seeds on stove. Use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the coriander seeds into small pieces. Mix well all the marinade ingredients with the coriander seeds.

2. Put the ribs in a large mixing bowl and cover them with the marinated sauce from (step 1). The ribs should be completely coated in the marinade and then placed in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight with plastic wrap over them.

3. Pound white peppercorns, cilantro roots, and garlic into a fine paste with a mortar and pestle. In a wok, add a little vegetable oil and sauté until the garlic paste begins to turn golden. Add the ribs all at once and add just enough water to almost cover the ribs, for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the ribs are fork-tender, cover the wok and simmer the food at a LOW temperature (not fall-of-the-bone). Stir occasionally. Longer cooking time is required if your ribs are meaty. To prevent the ribs from drying out, make sure not to boil them vigorously.

 4. After the ribs have reached the desired level of doneness, increase the heat to high heat to reduce the sauce until it becomes a rich glaze. ENJOY!!