Steamed Ribs with Glutinous Rice (糯米蒸排骨)
Chinese New Year is right around the corner, and we’re kicking things off with Steamed Ribs with Glutinous Rice or Nuòmi Zhēng Pái Gu (糯米蒸排骨). As far as elaborate Chinese New Year dishes go, this one is pretty easy to make, but no less impressive for it.
Servings: 6
Calories: 396kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork ribs (450g, cut into 2-inch pieces––ask your butcher or get out a heavy cleaver!)
- 1 piece red fermented bean curd (mashed)
- 1 tablespoon liquid from the red fermented bean curd jar
- 1 teaspoon sugar (divided)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper (divided)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 scallions (finely chopped, with the white and green parts separated)
- 1 large dried lotus leaf
- 2 cups sticky rice (also called sweet rice or glutinous rice)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- The night before, soak the ribs for 2 hours to remove excess blood and impurities from the meat. Change the water a couple of times in between. Drain, rinse, and pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Marinate the ribs with the mashed red fermented bean curd, the liquid from the jar, ½ teaspoon sugar, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, ¼ teaspoon of ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Cover, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- Soak a large dried lotus leaf by submerging the whole leaf under water. Use a large plate or bowl to weigh it down and leave it overnight. Handle with care, since these leaves rip easily!
- The next day, rinse and soak 2 cups of glutinous rice for an hour, making sure the water is at least 2 inches above the rice line. At the same time, take the marinated ribs out of the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature.
- Rinse the lotus leaf front and back with fresh water. Line your bamboo steamer or large heatproof platter (with at least a 2-3 inch depth) with the lotus leaf.
- Next, prepare the steamer with water. Make sure there is enough water in the steamer, but not so much that the water will flood the dish. You can always add boiling water if the water levels are low during steaming. Now cover the steamer and turn on the heat to bring the water to a boil.
- Drain the soaked glutinous rice. Combine the drained rice with 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, salt, the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar, the remaining ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, and the remaining scallions.
- Now, mix in the marinated ribs (and the marinade liquid!) until well combined. Pour onto the lotus leaf, and wrap the outer edges of the leaf over the top of the rice. Place the whole thing carefully in the steamer, and steam for 60 minutes over high heat. Check every 10 - 15 minutes to make sure the water in the steamer does not dry out.
- Garnish with additional chopped scallions if desired, and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1.7mg