[Taiwanese Pai Gu Fan with Spare Ribs]
The other day, I lucked out and found discounted pork spare ribs at the supermarket. I don't often cook bone-in meat at home, but spare ribs meant I could make Taiwanese spare ribs rice (pai gu fan)! I immediately started cooking, only to realize I'd run out of my usual oyster sauce and garlic.
But I wasn't about to give up on spare ribs rice over that. So, I substituted the oyster sauce with doubanjiang (chili bean paste) and used the little bit of sliced dried garlic I had left. To add volume and extra umami, I also threw in some large-cut shiitake mushrooms.
Taiwanese spare ribs rice is a classic Taiwanese dish. It features marinated pork cooked until nicely browned, then simmered in a savory soy sauce-based sauce until tender and served over rice. The subtle aroma of five-spice powder wafts up, making your stomach rumble with anticipation. In Japan, it's akin to the beloved katsu-don—unpretentious deliciousness everyone adores. In Taiwan, it's a familiar presence, whether as street food or ekiben (station bento), deeply rooted in daily life.
The accompaniments include a flavor-soaked boiled egg, crunchy takuan pickles, and colorful greens. The combination of juicy, tender pork and rice soaked in the sauce is irresistibly delicious. It's a simple yet deeply satisfying bowl that brings a quiet sense of happiness.
The preparation is straightforward: rub the pork with a marinade, let it rest briefly, then simmer gently in a pot for 30 minutes. Cutting the spare ribs into 1.5–2cm thick pieces allows the flavor to penetrate quickly, resulting in tender, juicy meat. Serve the simmered spare ribs generously over piping hot rice, then top with pickled mustard greens from the fridge and a dollop of mustard. The thickened sauce melds with the pork's flavor, pairing perfectly with white rice. Try it at home!
Spare Ribs Rice
Ingredients:
Rice
Pork spare ribs: approx. 350g
Shiitake mushrooms: 2-3 medium
Pickled mustard greens: to taste
Boiled egg: optional
Mustard: optional
(Seasoning mixture)
◯ Soy sauce: 1 tsp
◯ Doubanjiang (chili bean paste): 1 tsp
◯ Grated ginger: a little
◯ Black pepper: a little
Potato starch: 1 tbsp
(Braising sauce)
Water 200ml
Soy sauce 1.5 tbsp
Mirin 1 tbsp
Sugar 1-2 tsp
Sliced ginger a little
Sliced garlic a little
Black pepper a little
Star anise 1-2 pieces
Five-spice powder a little
Instructions:
1. Cut the spare ribs into 1.5-2cm thick pieces. Coat with the ◯ ingredients from the seasoning mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Coat the ribs with potato starch and fry in oil (not included in the ingredients) until golden brown on the surface.
3. Place the spare ribs, shiitake mushrooms, and stew sauce ingredients (except five-spice powder) into a pot and heat.
4. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove the lid, add the five-spice powder, and cook until the sauce reduces and thickens.
6. Serve over rice, topped with the spare ribs, pickled mustard greens, mustard, and a boiled egg if desired.
Hakusan Porcelain's Hirachawan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/hakusan/hirachawan.html
Seiryugama's Bowl
https://www.shokunin.com/en/seiryu/hachi.html
Appi Urushi Studio's Owan #3.8
https://www.shokunin.com/en/appi/wan.html
Wadasuke Seisakusho's Cooking & Serving Spoon
https://www.shokunin.com/en/wadasuke/spoon.html
References
https://recipe.rakuten.co.jp/recipe/1950009055 (Reference Recipe)
https://delishkitchen.tv/articles/2310
