This is the 8th entry for the Food Inspired by People project. Every Monday for three months, I will post a dish that is inspired by a person. Today is Braised Soy Vinegar Ribs inspired by Mr.V’s grandmother. The maternal Taiwanese side.
1st Entry: Sambal (spicy Malaysian condiment)
2nd Entry: Dry Wonton Noodles
3rd Entry: Taiwanese Chicken Rice
4th Entry: Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice)
5th Entry: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
6th Entry: Potato Egg Salad
7th Entry: Asam Laksa (Malaysian spicy sour noodles soup)
There are a few things in this world that are sweet.
Fruit.
Candy.
Grandmothers.
Grandmothers are like fruit candy with frosting. The only reason why they exist in this world (aside from giving birth to our moms or dads in order for us to exist too) is so that we can extract all their sweetness and savor them.
Mr. V’s grandmother is almost 90 years old yet she’s the healthiest and the most clear minded grandmother I know. She has a great sense of humor and can be sarcastically funny at times. I just love her sarcasm.
She still takes a bus to the wet market to buy groceries. She’s the only 90 year old I know that can bend her body forward and touch the floor with her hands. Not fingers, hands. Palms and all. Best of all, she can still single handedly cook a scrumptious meal for a dozen people. Secretly I wish she would do that every day because she really does have a hand in making super simple meals delicious to the core.
One of my favorites from her is braised soy vinegar pork ribs. Pork ribs are braised till fork chopsticks tender in a perfectly balanced sweet, salty and sour sauce. Eating this is like flirting with guys. You want to flirt just enough so that they don’t think you’re creepy. You want to just eat enough ribs so that the ribs don’t think you’re fat.
Hmm, that didn’t sound right.
What I’m trying to say is, once you start flirting, you just can’t stop. Once your mouth takes a bit of this, you’re never going to stop eating. Wrong analogy, perhaps?
Ok, forget flirting. Let’s just focus on sticky, finger licking soy vinegar pork ribs with just enough sauce over soft steamed rice in your mouth. *faints*
Also, if you haven’t already done so, check out my last post Roasted Vegetables Couscous. A quick, delicious and healthy meal. A medley of roasted vegetables tossed with couscous dressed with herbs, olive oil & lemon juice.
To see all the delectable entries for the Food Inspired by People project, click here.
How has your grandmother sweetened your life?
Braised Soy Vinegar Ribs Serves 3-4
what you need:
2 1/2 baby back ribs, cut into individual ribs (1 rack)
3″ ginger, sliced
Sauce:
1/3 cup light soy sauce
3 tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tbs brown rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbs thick caramel sauce or kecap manis (for color)
1/2 cup water
Salt
Black Pepper
directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, thick caramel sauce and water.
2. In a wide saucepan, place ribs in water (submerged) and bring water to a boil. Once boiled, drain, rinse the bones with cold water and drain well. This is to remove scum and impurities.
3. Sprinkle salt and black pepper on the ribs. Over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the ribs and ginger. Browning adds flavor.
4. Once browned, pour the sauce in and deglaze the pan.
5. Pour enough water to cover the ribs and bring the sauce to a boil.
6. One boiled, turn the heat to low and let the ribs braise covered for 3 hours. Check and occasionally turn the ribs. Make sure the ribs continue to be covered by the sauce. If not, add hot water.
7. Uncover, increase the heat to medium low and braise for another 20 to 40 minutes or until sauce has thickened and reduced to desired consistency. Baste the meat with the sauce and/or gently flip the ribs a couple of times. If the sauce level is really low, keep a watchful eye and be careful not to burn the sauce.
8. To serve, pour sauce over the ribs and serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes:
1. For me, this is the perfect balance but we all know we have different taste buds. So, taste this about 15 minutes in Step 7. If you want it sweeter = add sugar, more sour = add vinegar, saltier = add soy sauce. Keep in mind that when the sauce is further reduced, the taste will become stronger (ie. saltier, sweeter, more sour).
2. Once the sauce has thickened, if by any chance the taste of the sauce is too strong and you want to dilute it, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.
3. You can braise the meat in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours or in the oven at 325 F for 3 hours. Finish the ribs off with step 7 on the stove and serve.
4. For Louisiana style ribs, increase braising time to 5 hours.
It’s weirdly interesting how life is sometimes. I write a post on grandmothers and today I just found out my grandmother passed away. This post is for you ‘ah ma’. Hope you’re rocking the heavens up there with ‘ah gong’ (grandpa).
