糖醋排骨Sweet & sour spare ribs

The deep-fry of the section — a 8 min of the 180 °C oil to set the surface of the 3 cm rib and the battering and double-fry of the glaze, so the acid and the sweet and the salt sit on a crisp, even, deep gold surface.

Origin

China, the deep-fry at its 4/5 end — the sweet-and-sour glaze of the rib and the plate

Difficulty

3 / 5

Servings

4

Prep

15 min

Cook

~25 min

Total

~40 min

Equipment

• A wok or a wide, heavy pot, for the deep-fry
• A deep-fry thermometer, for the 180 °C oil (the oil-temp of the deep-fry)
• A fine sieve, for the glaze to drain off the 3 cm rib

Ingredients

• 500 g (18 oz) spare ribs, cut to 3 cm bone-in chunks, the 3 cm cube that sets the 8 min window of the deep-fry
• 3 (15 g) slices of ginger
• 2 (15 g) scallions, the white part only, cut 3 cm lengths
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) Shaoxing wine (or a dry sherry) — the depth and the fragrance
• 10 ml (2 tsp) light soy sauce — the salt edge
• For the glaze
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) rice vinegar — the acid of the balance
• 60 g (3 tbsp) sugar (or a 60 g of the sweet half of the balance)
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) light soy sauce — the salt half of the balance
• 10 ml (2 tsp) oyster sauce — the depth half of the balance
• 40 ml (2½ tbsp) water — the liquid edge of the glaze
• 5 g (1 tsp) cornstarch, mixed with the 20 ml of water — the glossy coat of the glaze
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil, for the deep-fry
• 1 (large) onion, the thin-cut, cut 5 mm dice, and floated on the surface of the rib — the fresh edge

Method

1. The ribs, marinated briefly. The 3 cm bone-in chunks of the ribs with the ginger, the 3 cm lengths of the scallion white, the 30 ml of the Shaoxing, and the 10 ml of the light soy, and a 10–15 min rest. The marinate logic — the salt of the soy and the depth of the Shaoxing, carried onto the surface of the rib, and the ginger and the scallion are the fragrance half of the balance.
2. The blanch. Into a pot of cold water, the ribs, on a medium flame, and bring to a gentle simmer 5 min, to pull the surface blood and the fat off the cut surface. Tip the ribs out and drain them well. This is the blanch, and the one that keeps the deep-fry clean and the salt-and-sweet glaze even.
3. The deep-fry, first pass. Into the wok or the wide pot, the oil to a depth of about 4 cm, and heat it to 160 °C. Into the oil, the drained ribs, and 4–5 min, until the surface of the rib is a pale gold and the 3 cm bone-in chunk is just cooked through and the salt-and-sweet half of the balance is carried to the surface of the chunk. Pull the ribs out and drain them on a rack, and a 2 min of the rest, so the surface crisps and the deep-fry can take on the salt-and-sweet coat.
4. The glaze, mixed. In a small bowl, the 60 ml of the rice vinegar, the 60 g of the sugar, the 15 ml of the light soy, the 10 ml of the oyster, and the 40 ml of the water. Stir, and the 185 ml of the salt-and-sweet mix is all in one, and the 5 g of the cornstarch in the 20 ml of the water is the glossy coat of the glaze, stirred into the same mix before it goes in.
5. The deep-fry, second pass, and the glaze. Raise the oil to 180 °C, and back into the oil, the rib, and 1–2 min, until the surface of the rib is a deep, even gold and the battering and double-fry is done. Into the same oil, the 185 ml of the glaze, and a 30 s of the salt-and-sweet coating, until the glaze is a single, even, glossy coat on the surface of the rib and the acid of the vinegar and the sweet of the sugar are both in the coat and not on the plate. Tip the rib out and drain it, and a 5 mm dice of the onion, floated on the surface, is the fresh edge against the salt-and-sweet glaze.
6. A little rest, and the plate. A 2–3 min rest, so the salt-and-sweet glaze has set to a clean, glossy coat, and the rib is done and the deep-fry of the section is the one that sets the crisp, even, deep gold surface on the 3 cm bone-in chunk.

What to serve with it

This is the deep-fry of the section — the 8 min of the double-fry and the 30 s of the salt-and-sweet glaze that sits on a crisp, even, deep gold surface on the 3 cm bone-in chunk. It's the dish that stands in for the moo yang (the grill of the frying family), and the one that pairs with anything that's a light, fresh, sharp plate to set the edge against the crisp, even, deep gold surface of the rib: the mapo tofu is the top note and the salt against the salt-and-sweet glaze, and the egg-fried rice is the starch that carries the salt-and-sweet coat of the rib.