Stewed Beans with Ribs
的排骨炖豆角
Northeastern food of China is radically different from the delicate steamed dishes of, say, Guangdong, or the fragrant spices of Yunnan. Dongbei (Northeastern) food has much more in common with Eastern European food - thick stews, rich sauces and liberal use of fatty pork. In a previous era, Russia owned much of the Chinese Northeast, and the influence can still be seen in the architecture, and indeed, in many of the dishes.
There are four famous stews of the Northeast: stewed pork with vermicelli, stewed chicken with mushrooms, stewed catfish with eggplant and then this: stewed beans with spare ribs - all worth trying if you want to understand the flavours of Dongbei. Similar to Inner Mongolian cuisine, this is food designed to get you through brutal winters that frequently dip below -30°C.
It’s sometimes served with ‘flower rolls’, which are popped on the top of the stew near the end so they steam cook, as well as absorb all the rich juice. I’d highly recommend this, if you want something special for dinner. Find the recipe for ‘flower rolls’ here. It’s quite simple: make the dough ahead of time, and then add to the pan 10 minutes before serving (step 7).
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1kg spare ribs
250g green beans
3 leeks - white part only - finely sliced
6 garlic cloves - minced
1 tablespoon ginger - minced
3 dried chillies
3 star anise
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt - to taste
Method
First, top and tail the green beans, then cut them into roughly equal sized pieces about the length of your thumb (3-4 inches). Heat up a wok with a tablespoon of oil on a medium heat and fry the beans in batches until they are blistered and browned on all sides. Remove the beans from the wok and set aside.
Add a bit more oil to the pan and then fry the spare ribs until they’re browned on all sides.
Add the leek, garlic, ginger, chillies and star anise and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the soy sauce (light and dark), wine and sugar. Cook for 30 seconds, and then add enough water to cover the ribs (2-3 cups).
Simmer for about an hour, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
When the water has reduced by about a third, and the meat is tender, add the beans to the stew and cook for another 20 minutes. Taste and season if needed.
Note: if you have made the flower rolls, add them about 10 minutes before the end. Push them snuggly into the pan, and then put the lid on until they’re soft and fluffy.
Serve in a big pot for all to share.
