My mummy's Chinese Braised Pork Ribs with Bitter Gourd is a comforting dish that's not only easy to cook but full of nutrition. We marinate the meat in the same pot we cook it in, boil and then simmer until tender, and add bitter gourd to soak up the savoury sauce. Serves best with warm white rice!
Wash the bitter gourd, cut bitter gourd into half, remove the middle soft portion and slice the bitter gourd into half-inches.
Briefly rinse 30 g salted black beans, drain and set aside.
30 g salted black beans
Peel and slice 75g ginger. Peel and crush 5 cloves of garlic.
75 g ginger, 5 cloves garlic
Marinate 850g pork ribs with 1 tsp white pepper, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp corn starch, 30 g salted black beans, garlic and ginger for 30 minutes in the casserole pot.
850 g pork ribs, 1 tsp white pepper, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp corn starch, 30 g salted black beans, 5 cloves garlic, 75 g ginger
Start cooking pork ribs on medium heat in a pot and add 100ml water. Bring to boil, then simmer over reduced heat for 1.5-2 hours until tender. More moisture will be released from the meat but if it dries up, add more water.Note: always cover with a lid and stir every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.
100 ml water
Add bitter gourd in the last 15 minutes and cook till softened.
250 g bitter gourd
Serve warm with rice.
Video
Notes
Note: I used the Pagoda brand corn flour I bought in Singapore. It’s a fine white coloured flour. In other parts of the world, it might be called corn starch. Apparently corn flour is a yellow coloured powder made from dried finely ground corn, and corn starch is a fine white coloured powder derived from the starchy part of a corn kernel. Corn starch is mainly used as a thickener or added to meat marinade to help tenderise the meat.
Nutrition
Calories: 160kcal
Keyword bitter gourd, black beans, braise, chinese food, creamy chicken stew, pork ribs