thebigfatnoodle

Spare rib and mustard greens soup

Spare rib and mustard green soup (feeds 2 with leftovers for tomorrow)

500 grams pork spare ribs, marinated in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (alternatively, duck also works very well in this soup)

1 tablespoon shaoxing rice wine

300 grams sour mustard greens (please retain all the liquid – it’s essentially a vinegar, salt and sugar solution)

1 stick of celery, sliced

1 large carrot, chopped (I don’t bother peeling it)

1 red chilli, pierced with a skewer

1 large clove of garlic, left in skin and lightly crushed

4-5 large slices of ginger

1 pork stock cube (or use a chicken/veg stock cube)

2 litres of water

3-4 large tomatoes, quartered

(optional) 300 grams of fresh tofu (firm or soft – your choice), cut into cubes

(optional) 200 grams for freshly sliced lotus root – I didn’t have it in the fridge this time but I normally put this in

In a large pot, brown your pork ribs. Once browned, pour the shaoxing over the ribs. Add the water and all of your ingredients apart from the tomatoes and the tofu. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

5 minutes before serving, add half of the tomatoes and all of the tofu to the soup.

Divide your remaining tomato slices between your serving bowls and dish up the ribs, vegetables, tofu and soup evenly.

I serve this soup with a small bowl of plain rice, a saucer of pickled green chillies in soy (recipe here), and a saucer of sweet soy for dipping.