I’ve been on a recipe-writing and testing streak! But I’m NEVER going to ever finish a cookbook if I keep publishing all the recipes on the blog! I mean, who the heck would want to buy my cookbook if all my recipes are available on SteamyKitchen.com…for free?
DUH! Well, damn it…. I’d better make a career out of cooking on TV cuz I think a cookbook will certainly take Fuh.Ev.Uh.
When I eat dim sum, there are certain dishes that I always order – Cha Siu Bow (bbq’d steamed buns), Fung Jow (steamed chicken feet), Ha Gow (steamed shrimp dumplings) and Pai Gwut (steamed spareribs with black bean sauce.) If you are lucky enough to live near a large Asian supermarket that has a meat section, the pork rib tips are easy to find. You can also ask, beg, bribe your butcher to cut normal ribs cross-wise to get small 1-1/2″ riblets. If you live in the southeast part of the U.S. and have a chain supermarket called “Publix” – look for a package called “rib tips.”
Traditionally, whole black beans are used in this dish. However, they are hard to find outside of Chinese markets. I’ve substituted with jarred black bean sauce – which you can normally find in any supermarket ethnic section. This recipe only took about 5 minutes to prepare and 20-30 minutes to steam….continued….
Steamed Spareribs in Black Bean Sauce
serves 4 as part of multicourse meal
1-1/2 lbs pork sparerib (rib tips)
2 tablespoons black bean sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (on microplane grater)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Cut the spareribs crosswise into 1″ – 2″ sections. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Transfer spareribs and sauce into a shallow, heatproof pan that will fit inside your wok (a pie plate or 9” cake pan works great.) Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Set steaming rack inside of wok and fill with water almost up to height of rack. Turn heat to high and when water is boiling, turn heat to medium-high. Set pan with spareribs on top of a steaming rack in wok. Steam on med-high heat for 18-20 minutes until ribs are no longer pink. Make sure that when you are steaming that you don’t run out of water in the wok. Replenish with additional water, if needed.
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Brain Surgery
Years ago, my mother gave me her beloved KitchenAid mixer. This dude, which I had named “Bob” is OLD and HEAVY. But I love Bob and he loves me back, dutifully churning, mixing and whipping on demand. Last week after baking my delicious Amish Friendship Bread (thank you Archana!), I was craving a loaf of french bread. I turned Bob on to knead the dough, and left the kitchen momentarily to bang my head against the wall and pluck my children off the chandelier.
“CRASH!!!”
Bob fell. Split head open. Guts and brain matter dangling.
But hey, after husband performed brain surgery and we duct taped his head back together, Bob was back in business. He finished kneading and we had warm, crusty bread for supper. I know I know. ::GROAN:: I already know what you’re thinking. I should have at least given Bob a few days to recover before forcing him back into labor. But I was hungry. I super-duper-really wanted fresh bread.
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Los Angeles Cooking Classes – SteamyKitchen + RasaMalaysia!
Next month, I’m coming to LA to teach two classes at the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts – and I’m teaching them with blogger Rasa Malaysia! Now how cool is that?!
All classes are hands-on classes – we will cook in the studio kitchen and have a massive feast.
Friday, December 14th – Dim Sum class. 6:30pm – 9:30pm
limited to 15 people
Dim Sum Class $90
My Mom’s Famous Crispy Egg Rolls
Ginger Pork Potstickers
Steamed Vegetable Buns
Chinese Sausage Fried Rice
Saturday, December 15th – Southeast Asian class 6:30pm – 9:30pm
limited to 15 people
Southeast Asian Class $90
Rasa Malaysia’s Butter Prawns (this dish is a flavor explosion of toasted coconut, garlic and curry leaves)
Thai Panang Curry with Jasmine Rice (a quick, easy curry you can make in 15 minutes)
Malaysian Lemongrass Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce (enjoy the aromas of lemongrass, ginger and garlic on your grill)
Vietnamese Fresh Summer Rolls (healthy, easy and fresh – makes perfect appetizer or light supper)
Epicurean School of Culinary Arts is located near Melrose & La Cienega Blvd is a cooking school that has professional chef training programs as well as fun workshops for the home cook. They are so gracious to host my classes! If you in Los Angeles, I’d love to meet you. Come hungry – we will have a feast! Call Epicurean to sign up (310) 659-5990.
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My mixer suffered the same fate as Bob, but seemed to be especially despondent as it performed a murder-suicide, taking the rice-cooker full of oatmeal with it.
Husband performed the same brain surgery on my Kitchen Aid. He then marched right out and bought me the Kitchen Aid Pro series mixer to avoid exposing the patient to repeat procedures.
Thank you for stopping by my blog this week! All of your recipes look SO delicious..wow!!
Kelli
Steamy Kitchen, that looks sooo good! You don’t have to worry about finding dim sum since you can just make it yourself! Bai gwat was my favorite growing up, but I always find it hard to eat and really get all the tender meat. I’m a lazy eater. Hey, all the great pai gwat I have were so tasty sweet. Not sugar sweet, just this nice sweetness. Do you think that was just the bones giving off a slow cooked sweetness or is there something in the sauce or marinade that makes it that nice sweetness?
BTW, I always just cook with the jarred black bean sauce. I’m the busy single guy chef! No time for soaking and pounding my black beans!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who names appliances. My Kitchenaid in called Rosie, because she is red. I won’t mention what my oven’s name is. It is unprintable because he is very tempermental!
I also agree that people would buy your cook book even though the recipe’s are online. For reference see wilwheaton.net he’s published several books of his blog and done well for himself.
What About Bob?! Actually, I’ve heard that after brain surgery it’s very good to get right into rehabilitation and get back to work as soon as possible. So you did the right thing.
Oh, and I’m sure most of your loyal readers would love to have the cookbook.
This is one of my Mom’s favorites when she goes to dim sum. Sometimes she has me go track down the cart before it gets to our table. It’s the last thing I want to do when I visit her up in Toronto.
I really appreciate that speed of this dish. It’s all in the prep and you just set things off to steam.
I was at the butcher’s today and they had beef short rubs, which I had them cut into smaller pieces to try this with. I know, should’ve been pork, but I didn’t have the recipe with me. Think they’ll work?
Er, short RIBS! *hic*
Believe me with these recipes we’d buy the cookbook even if you were giving out a few free flyers. All the best to you!
Thank you so much! I have been looking for this recipe for a while..by the way..sorry about Bob.
Jaden,
Are these totally different black beans than I might find when I am in the Mexican section of foods or am looking in the bean section of the supermarket? I mean, they have Black Beans that are whole, already cooked, and in the can. Is this a different type of Legume? I have dried Black Beans here at the house (we do a lot of Mexican foods). Just wondering. Thanks, Junith
P.S. Got the spice and can’t wait to use it. Everyone is sick, so the only stinkin’ thing cookin’ is canned chicken noodle soup that they want! Nothing else will tempt them right now.
Junith: The black beans are very different. Look in the Asian section of the market, for the jar of “Black Bean Sauce”.
I have been to Hk too. As I know, the steam spareribs is not really a dim sum dish. They served it as a dim sum dish sometimes . It serves with rice in a pot. A famous dish for pot rice in winter time.you need not to have streamer.. you may cook it with rice in a electrical cook. First, cook the rice until it start to steam then put the miranated spareribs on top of the rice.. wait for 10 mins… you will have sparerib with pot rice.
My chinese friend told me, she cook it in the microwave with cover about 10-12 mins.. depend on the portion of the spareribs.. It is quick and easy dish
Please give the the titlte of your cook book so I can buy. Thank you very much.
Mrs. Jaden,
I am a 16 year old chinese girl living in north carolina. I just wanted to tell you that my best friend is going to hong kong and I’ll never see her again, so i’m sending her off asian style by hosting a party with your amazing recipes! Thank you!
Hi Jaden,
I know that this post is a couple years old, but hopefully you still read the comments!
I don’t (to my great shame) have a wok or a nice Asian steamer. Would doing this in a pot with a metal fan-style steamer do the trick? How would it affect the recipe?
Thanks for the great looking recipe!
Sam
All your juices will fall down the holes of the metal fan steamer. Just get a pot big enough to hold a shallow bowl. Then find something to prop the bowl up. I use 3 shot glasses!
Thanks! I use the same set-up when making a Moroccan steamed lamb dish, so I understand what you mean.
Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Sam
Just made this recipe, but with chicken wings! Wonderful, wonderful succulent sauce! Really incredible nuances of flavor here. I’ll be reheating it tomorrow for the CNY dinner, and I’m guessing that the flavors will be even better! Thanks Jaden, for your inspiration!
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