Chinese
Gluten freePai gu ou tang (Hubei pork rib and lotus root soup)
Pork ribs and floury lotus root simmered for hours into a sweet, rosy broth
Ask anyone from Wuhan what the Spring Festival tastes like and the answer is pai gu ou tang, a clay pot of pork ribs and lotus root that bubbles on the stove all New Year's Eve. Lotus root grows from the mud into something clean and pure, and its long threads that stretch when you bite a slice are said to keep the family linked even when apart. Hubei's floury lotus root, with nine holes, cooks down until it is soft and starchy and turns the broth a faint rosy pink; the ribs fall from the bone and the soup tastes sweet and mellow. Serve it first at the reunion dinner, in small bowls, with rice and the other dishes to follow. Chef's tip: look for thick, short, rusty-skinned lotus root sections; the slim, white, shiny kind stays crunchy however long you cook it.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 160 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 380 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb pork spare ribschopped by the butcher into 4 cm pieces
- 1 ¾ lb lotus rootpeeled, cut into 3 cm chunks with a rolling cut
- 1 oz fresh gingersliced
- 2 spring onionswhite parts in a knot, green parts sliced
- 10 ½ cups waterhot
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb pork spare ribs in a pot of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes, until grey scum rises. Drain and rinse each piece clean.
10 minStep 2: Put the ribs, 1 oz fresh ginger and the knotted white parts of 2 spring onions in a clay pot or heavy casserole, pour over 10 ½ cups water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Common mistake: topping up with cold water later; it makes the meat seize and the broth turn cloudy, so add enough hot water now.
10 minStep 3: Turn the heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour, until the broth smells rich and the meat has shrunk back from the bones.
60 minStep 4: Add 1 ¾ lb lotus root and simmer gently for another 1½ hours, until the lotus root is soft and floury and shows long sticky threads when you break a piece, and the rib meat pulls easily off the bone.
90 minStep 5: Season with 1 ½ tsp salt and simmer for 2 minutes more. Remove the ginger and onion knot, scatter with the green spring onion and ¼ tsp ground white pepper, and serve.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pai gu ou tang (Hubei pork rib and lotus root soup) take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 160 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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