Braised ribs with potato

Method

1. Marinate the ribs thirty minutes in a tablespoon of soy, a teaspoon of sugar, the cornflour, wine and a teaspoon of oil. Peel the potatoes and cut them in large chunks.
2. Heat two tablespoons of oil and fry the potato until the edges are golden; lift out. Fried first, it stays in pieces through the braise.
3. In the same pan fry the garlic, shallots and ginger until fragrant, then the ribs until lightly golden on both sides.
4. Return the potato, add the oyster sauce, a teaspoon of soy, a teaspoon of sugar and a cup and a half of warm water; bring to the boil, lid on, low heat for twenty to twenty-five minutes until the ribs are tender and the potato is soft at the edges. The ribs are done when there is no pink at the bone.
5. Lid off, high heat, and reduce until the sauce clings to the ribs; spring onion, and serve over rice.

Take care

• Contains soy and wheat; oyster sauce contains mollusc (oyster). Pork must be cooked through, with no pink at the bone.

The story

This is the braise a Hong Kong family cooks on a Wednesday: two things from the wet market, one jar of oyster sauce, half an hour. Its bones are those of steamed ribs in black bean, and the potato is the postwar Hong Kong touch, the cheap filler that made a pound of ribs feed a family.

Same technique

Braised beef brisket with white radishBraised chicken with dried shiitakeSoy sauce chicken

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.