Chinese•comfort

Chinese Steamed Garlic Ribs with Taro

This recipe for steamed garlic ribs with taro combines three of our favorite ingredients: juicy pork ribs, sweet garlic, and buttery taro.

Ingredients

Quantities are shown as originally provided.

1 pound pork ribs ((cut into 1-2 inch/3-5 cm pieces; your butcher can do this for you))
1 tablespoon clear rice wine
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons oil ((any neutral oil))
3 tablespoons garlic ((chopped, from about 9 cloves))
1 1/3 cups taro ((diced into 1/2-inch cubes))
1 tablespoon scallion ((chopped, to garnish; optional))

1
Place the rib pieces, clear rice wine, light soy sauce, sugar, salt, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper into a bowl. Mix until the ribs are evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight for best results.
2
We highly recommend marinating overnight (marinating for less time will yield less tender ribs). However, if you’re strapped for time, marinate for at least 1 hour—or at least 2 hours for meatier ribs.
3
Add the cornstarch and water to the marinated ribs, and mix well until there is no standing liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
4
Heat a saucepan over low heat. Add the oil and garlic, and stir occasionally until the garlic turns slightly translucent and is fragrant but not browned—about 4-5 minutes. (Garlic turns bitter if overly browned or burned in hot oil.)
5
Place the taro cubes in a single layer on a large heatproof shallow bowl. Place the marinated ribs on top of the taro. Then spoon the garlic and oil evenly over the top of the ribs.
6
Next, bring some water to a simmer in a metal steamer or in a wok with a metal steaming rack set in the bottom. (Learn more about how to set up a steamer.) Place the heatproof bowl with your ribs into your steaming apparatus, cover, and steam for 20-25 minutes, or until the ribs are opaque and the taro is cooked through.
7
Garnish with chopped scallion if desired, and serve over rice with your favorite stir-fried vegetable on the side.