Steamed Pork Ribs with Sour Plum

Every summer I make plum wine / umeshu, which is unripe and green sour plum/ume, rock sugar, soaked in Cantonese liqueur, with about 40% alcohol content. There is a consumption of about 5 kilogram of sour plums every year, so how not to waste these liqueur infused plums is a question of every household like mine.

As a frugal Chinese, I will try all means to finish all food. Liqueur infused plums are very tender, less sour, with intense plum taste and strong liqueur fragrance, good for seasoning. I like to steam fat meat with them, such as to steam with pork, beef and chicken. Or I could mash them, mix with a little light soy sauce and sesame oil. This is a refreshing summertime salad or cold noodle dressing.

Ingredients –
Pork ribs, 350g;
Sour plums, 2;
Light soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp;
Sugar, 1tsp;
Cornstarch, 1tbsp;
Garlic, 2cloves;
Thai red chili, 1, optional.

How to do –
1. Try your plum before cooking, if it’s still very sour, add a little more sugar when marinating. Cut into chunks;

2. Pork ribs chopped in small bite size, marinated with half portion of plum, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 1/2tbsp of light soy sauce, 1tsp of sugar and 1tbsp of cornstarch. Keep in fridge for at least half an hour;

3. Put in a deep plate, place the other half portion of plum on top, garnish with 1 chopped Thai red chili. Bring a big pot of water to boil, then steam the pork ribs in high heat for 20 minutes. Keep the lid on after heat off, let it stay in the pot for 5 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice.