Deep-fried Spare Ribs with Rice Cakes

Deep-fried Spare Ribs with Rice Cakes

　　Spare ribs with rice cakes are an affordable and uniquely flavorful snack in Shanghai, with a history of over 50 years. There are two well-known versions in the city: “Little Changzhou” and “Xian Delai.” The spare ribs with rice cakes from “Little Changzhou” use pork spine meat from regions like Changzhou and Wuxi, which is marinated in soy sauce before being deep-fried in a blend of soy sauce, oil, sugar, chopped scallions, ginger, and wine until the color turns purplish-red, the meat becomes tender, and the flavor rich and fragrant. Meanwhile, non-glutinous rice from Songjiang is cooked, then pounded repeatedly in a stone mortar with a mallet until no whole grains remain. Each 500 grams is cut into 20 sticks, each wrapped around a small piece of the pre-fried spare ribs, and then simmered in a soy-based sauce.

　　When served, five-spice powder is sprinkled on top, offering both the rich aroma of the spare ribs and the soft, chewy, and crispy texture of the rice cakes—extremely delicious. The version from “Xian Delai” coats the spare ribs with a mixture of flour, tapioca starch, five-spice powder, and eggs before deep-frying them.

　　These spare ribs have a golden color, a crispy exterior, and tender meat. At the same time, the Songjiang rice is cooked with dark soy sauce and spare ribs, then topped with sweet bean sauce and drizzled with chili sauce. The result is a dish that’s soft with a fragrant aroma, slightly sweet and spicy, tender and tasty. The “Little Changzhou” spare ribs with rice cakes at Shuguang Restaurant and those made at the Xian Delai Dim Sum Shop in Shanghai are the most distinctive.