Pork spare ribs with black beans is a must-order for me whenever we have dim sum. It’s not too difficult to make at home, but getting the perfect colour and texture takes some work. After trying several online recipes without success, I decided to create my own. It involves a unique brining and massaging process that requires a bit more effort, but the results are definitely worth it.
We’ll be steaming the pork ribs over a bed of fluffy USA Calrose rice, turning it into a hearty one-dish meal! I used a bamboo steaming basket, but you may cook this in a normal rice cooker too. Simply add the pork ribs on top once the water is all absorbed. Give it a try—you’ll be amazed!
Jump to recipe now.
USA Calrose Rice
USA Calrose rice is a medium-grain variety known for its soft, sticky texture when cooked, making it ideal for dishes like sushi, stir-fries, and stews. US farmers use sustainable practices such as precision leveling of fields and controlled irrigation systems to optimize water use and reduce environmental impact. It is very versatile and we have created many other delicious recipes with it!
You may purchase USA Calrose Rice from here:
PaddyKing Rice
Okome Rice
RECIPE CARD
Serves: 4 pax
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Please note that in the video, I only steamed half the portion of rice and pork.
Ingredients
Rice
USA Calrose Rice 2 rice cups (360ml)
Water 2 rice cups (360ml)
Pork Spare Ribs 500g
Brine for Pork
Water 2 cups (500ml)
Baking Soda 1 tsp
Salt 2 tsp
Marinade for Pork
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
MSG 1/2 tsp
White Pepper 1/4 tsp
Sesame Oil 2 tsp
Chinese Wine 1 Tbsp
Corn Starch 2 Tbsp
Oil 1 Tbsp
Topping
Black Soy Beans 1 Tbsp
Sliced Chillies 1
Julienned Ginger 1 tsp
Seasoned Soy Sauce
Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp
Chicken Powder 1/2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Water 3 Tbsp
Method
- Chop pork bones into 2cm bite-sized pieces
- Massage, wash, and drain. Repeat four to five times or until the water runs clear
- Combine ingredients for brine and pour over ribs and brine for 15mins
- Wash and drain until water runs clear
- Add marinade and leave for an hour or overnight
- Wash rice till water runs clear
- Add water to rice and steam for 20mins
- Fluff rice and add pork bones
- Top with black beans, chillies and ginger
- Steam for 10mins
- Combine ingredients for seasoned soy sauce and heat in microwave
Cooking Tips and Notes
Preparing the Pork Ribs
After researching online for a while, I couldn’t find a recipe that yielded pork ribs that looked as white and tender as those served in dim sum restaurants. At the restaurants, they soak the pork in a bucket with slowly running water to wash out the myoglobin (the red-colored fluid). At home, we don’t need to do this since we’re handling a smaller amount of pork.
First, I squeeze and wash out as much myoglobin as possible before soaking the meat in a salt and baking soda brine for 15 minutes to tenderize it. After brining, I rinse the pork 2 to 3 more times until the water runs clear.
Once the water is clear, I add the marinade to the meat. I avoid ingredients like soy sauce and oyster sauce, as they can darken the meat—I want it to look nice and white. I also only add the black beans just before steaming the pork, as they can darken the meat as well.
Steaming the Rice
I learned the technique of steaming rice (rather than cooking it directly in a rice cooker) from a local rice distributor. This method produces rice with a better texture. You can easily adapt this technique using your existing rice cooker by placing the rice and water in a bowl, setting the bowl on a trivet inside the rice cooker, adding an inch of water to the cooker, and cooking the rice as usual. Here, I’m using a bamboo steamer, but any steamer will work.
After washing your rice, use a 1:1 ratio of water to rice (1 cup of water for 1 cup of rice). Place the bowl into a steamer and steam the rice for 20 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a rice spatula and top it with the marinated pork ribs, followed by the julienned ginger, black beans, and chopped chilies. Steam for another 10 minutes, and you’ll be rewarded with tender pork ribs on fluffy rice!
Note: If you are only steaming rice without the pork ribs, use a 1:1.25 rice-to-water ratio. I reduced the amount of water because the pork ribs will release some water as it steams.
Using A Rice Cooker
In the video, I used a bamboo steamer for that classic dim sum look. You can easily replicate this steaming method in a rice cooker too. Simply place the rice and water in a separate bowl inside the rice cooker. Then place it on a trivet with an inch of water underneath.
This recipe will also work if you simply cook your rice in the rice cooker. Add the pork ribs once all the water is all absorbed and leave it for another 10mins for the pork to cook through.
Serving Suggestion
The dish is good on its own, but it can be served with a drizzle of seasoned soy sauce for extra flavour and texture.
Seasoned Soy Sauce
Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp
Chicken Powder 1/2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Water 3 Tbsp
Happy Cooking!
Check out other recipes that are perfect with USA Calrose Rice:
Disclosure: This post is made in collaboration with USA Rice Federation and using PaddyKing USA Calrose rice by Hong Lian Gim Kee.
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