Sweet and sour pork ribs recipe without caramelizing sugar

Soak the chopped pork ribs in cold water for an hour, changing the water once during this time. This will remove the fishy smell. If the pork ribs are not frozen and are very fresh, you don't need to soak them.

Put the pork ribs in a pot of cold water and blanch them. Add the three-piece deodorizing kit, bring to a boil, and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes. Skim off the foam, remove the ribs, and rinse them with warm water. Be sure to use warm water, not cold water! After rinsing, drain the water slightly, otherwise you will regret it in the next step!

Add a little oil to the pot, turn the heat to the lowest setting, and add half of the rock sugar. Stir until melted. If the caramelization is not controlled properly, the sugar will taste bitter. This recipe doesn't require caramelizing the sugar.

Add the pork ribs and stir-fry until they are slightly browned. Then add the scallions, ginger, and star anise, and continue to stir-fry until the surface of the pork ribs has a slight char (very slight, not burnt).

Add a spoonful of balsamic vinegar along the edge of the wok, then add a spoonful of light soy sauce and a little dark soy sauce for color, and continue to stir-fry until the colors blend together.

Add boiling water to cover the ribs, along with preserved plums and orange peel. Do not cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-50 minutes. Do not add salt at this stage, otherwise the ribs will become tough.

If you're in a rush, simmer on high heat for 5 minutes, then transfer to a pressure cooker and start timing 6 minutes once the pressure cooker starts releasing steam.

Remove the scallions, ginger, star anise, orange peel, and preserved plums from the lid. Add a small spoonful of salt to taste, cover, and continue simmering for 10 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, remove this step from the pressure cooker.

After simmering for 10 minutes, add the second batch of sugar. The first batch is for coloring and has little flavor left; this is to add sweetness. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking. Then, add a spoonful of balsamic vinegar along the edge of the pot. This is the second spoonful, added to enhance the vinegar aroma. Reduce the sauce over high heat until thickened, then plate and garnish with sesame seeds if desired.

It's so delicious! My kid kept praising it while eating it. 😇