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Ingredients
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Marinade & Ribs
Black Bean Garlic Sauce
Garnish & Serving
Method
Marinade & Ribs
- 1
Prepare ribs
If not already cut, trim and cut the spare ribs into individual 1–2-inch pieces. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
Marinate
Place the ribs in a bowl. Add 1 tbs light soy sauce, 0.5 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbs Shaoxing wine, 1 tbs cornstarch, 0.5 tsp sugar, 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Mix thoroughly to coat each piece. Let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Black Bean Garlic Sauce
- 3
Prepare black beans
Rinse the fermented black beans briefly under running water to reduce excess salt, then roughly mash them with the back of a spoon or chop finely. Mince the garlic and ginger; separate the scallion whites and greens, slicing both thinly.
- 4
Cook sauce
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add a teaspoon of neutral oil (can use the vegetable oil reserved). Add the minced garlic and ginger and stir for 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add the mashed black beans and stir for 30 seconds to bloom their flavor. Pour in 0.5 tbs light soy sauce, 0.5 tbs oyster sauce, 2 tbs chicken stock (or water), and 0.5 tsp sesame oil. Add optional sliced chili if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 1 minute. Stir in the 1 tsp cornstarch slurry to slightly thicken the sauce; remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning (a touch more soy if needed). Fold in the scallion whites.
Assembly & Steaming
- 5
Arrange ribs
Place marinated rib pieces in a single layer in a shallow heatproof dish or divide among small dim sum plates. Spoon the black bean garlic sauce evenly over the ribs so each piece gets some sauce and aromatics.
- 6
Steam
Set up a wok or large pot with a steaming rack and bring about 1–2 inches of water to a rolling simmer. Place the dish with ribs on the rack, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over medium-high heat for 15–18 minutes for 1 lb of small ribs (adjust 18–22 minutes if pieces are larger) until meat is tender and juices run clear. Avoid opening the lid frequently.
- 7
Finish
Carefully remove the dish from the steamer. Spoon any accumulated sauce from the plate over the ribs. Scatter sliced scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds on top for garnish. Let rest 1–2 minutes.
- 8
Serve
Serve hot as part of a dim sum selection or with steamed rice. Each serving yields about 4 small portions for sharing.