Craving tender, juicy spare ribs? This beginner-friendly Cik Kong Ribs recipe delivers a perfect sweet-and-sour glaze with authentic gourmet Chinese restaurant flavors. Let’s start cooking!
Watch How To Make Cik Kong Ribs – Recipe Video
Easy and Delicious Cik Kong Spare Ribs Recipe
This Cik Kong Ribs recipe is a beginner-friendly dish that’s both easy to make and irresistibly delicious. These spare ribs are tender, juicy, and coated in a sweet, caramelized sauce, achieved by cooking them over high heat until the flavors deepen and the sauce thickens. There is no doubt that the sweet-and-sour flavor is one of the most iconic and beloved combinations in Chinese cuisine, widely enjoyed in Chinese restaurants around the world. With its perfectly balanced taste and simple preparation, Cik Kong Ribs will bring restaurant-quality results to your home kitchen. Let’s start cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beginner-Friendly: No advanced cooking skills required!
- Authentic Chinese Flavors: The perfect balance of sweet and sour, enhanced by chinese black vinegar.
- Versatile: Serve it with steamed rice or your favourite vegetables.
- Restaurant-Quality at Home: Impress your family and friends without stepping out.
What Makes Cik Kong Ribs Special?
The secret lies in the combination of ingredients like sugar, tomato sauce, chili sauce, and black vinegar. These create the iconic sweet-and-sour taste loved by all. Also chinese black vinegar (浙江香醋 Zhe Jiang Xiang Chu) is used in the sauce to enhance the sourness and to create a more complex sweet and sour flavour. Cooking the ribs over high heat caramelizes the sauce, giving it that irresistible sticky, glossy finish.
What are Spare Ribs?
Spare Ribs are a variety of ribs cut from the lower portion of a pig, specifically the belly and breastbone, behind the shoulder, and include 11 to 13 long bones. Spare ribs are cooked and eaten in various cuisines around the world. They are especially popular in Chinese and American Chinese cuisine, in which they are generally called paigu (排骨).
How To Select And Prepare Spare Ribs?
In Chinese cuisine, pork spare ribs are generally first cut into 7-to-10-centimetre (3 to 4 in) sections and can be fried, steamed or braised. For less fatty spare ribs, it’s best to select the ribs towards the tail end of the pig. Otherwise you can buy pre-cut ribs that are already cut across the bone.
How To Clean and Prepare Spare Ribs
Add 1 tbsp cornstarch to the spare ribs, massage around the ribs to evenly mix the cornstarch onto the surface of each ribs. Rinse the spare ribs in running water for at least 2 times till the water runs clear. Pour out all of the water, and press and squeeze the ribs against a colander to get rid of excess water. Dry on paper towel and we are done.
Ingredients You Need To Make Cik Kong Ribs
- Spare Ribs
- Sesame Seeds (Toasted)
- Chinese Wine (Marinade)
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Water
- Plain Flour
- Cornstarch
- Egg
- Black Vinegar (Sauce)
- Tomato Sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Chilli Sauce
- Sugar
- Water
Prepare Ingredients:
- Clean and dry spare ribs.
- Prepare marinade sauce and mix well with spare ribs. Marinate for at least 3 hours.
- Toast white sesame seeds in a pan and set aside.
- Mix well spare ribs sauce and set aside.
Cooking Cik Kong Ribs:
- Deep fry marinated spare ribs in hot oil till golden brown in colour. Dish and drain well.
- Pour the spare rib sauce into a clean wok and bring to a boil.
- Add in spare ribs, cook till sauce thickens and evenly coat the spare ribs
- Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds on top.
- Transfer to a serving dish.
How to Serve Cik Kong Ribs
This delicious spare ribs dish can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. This dish is best served with steamed rice, along with refreshing vegetable dishes.
Important Tips When Cooking Cik Kong Ribs
- When selecting spare ribs, go for cuts that are less fatty (the tail-end ribs).
- When cleaning the spare ribs, make sure to toss and rub the cornstarch into the ribs. This will loosen up the grains and fiber of the ribs which helps to tenderise the ribs.
- Be sure to rinse the ribs under cold running water till all the cornstarch is gone. This cleaning process will remove any unpleasant smell and wash off some of the myoglobin which is the redness that appear on the meat. If the ribs are not washed, they will leave a meaty grainy taste.
- Heat up the wok before adding oil to deep fry spare ribs. If the wok is not hot enough the meat added will stick to the wok. The wok is hot when the centre turns pale and start to smoke.
- To test if oil is hot enough for deep frying, use a wooden chopstick. Oil is ready when bubbles begin to appear around the tip of a chopstick placed into the oil.
- Fry the spare ribs in batches to prevent overcrowding. If you overcrowd the wok, the oil temperature will drop.
- Remember that the sauce will become thicker as it cools down, so you should turn off the heat a little before the sauce reaches the perfect consistency
Cik Kong Ribs 浙江排骨
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Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 600 grams spare ribs
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Marinade:
- 1 tbsp chinese wine
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp water
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp black vinegar, chinese black vinegar (Zhe Chu 浙醋)
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tbsp chilli sauce
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
Have ready some pork spare ribs and toasted sesame seeds.
First toast some sesame seeds in a hot pan. Then remove and set aside.
Then prepare ingredients needed to marinade the spare ribs.
Also prepare ingredients to make the spare ribs sauce.
Mix the sauce ingredients till well combined. Then set aside.
Next clean the spare ribs. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch onto the spare ribs. Mix and thoroughly massage the ribs. Then rinse the ribs in running water for 1 to 2 minutes, gently massaging and moving the ribs around the bowl as you rinse.Halfway through, pour out the water and repeat. After rinsing, dry the spare ribs. Squeeze the ribs against the colander with your hands and pour out excess water.
Combine cleaned spare ribs with marinade ingredients and marinade for 3 hours. Then prepare to cook the dish.
Start by deep frying the marinated spare ribs. First heat up the wok before add in oil. Then pour enough oil into a wok. Heat up the oil over medium heat. Oil is ready when bubbles begin to appear around the tip of a chopstick placed into the oil. Carefully place flour-coated ribs into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding. Dish out and drain on plate.
Then cook the sauce for the spare ribs. Pour the sauce into a clean wok. using medium heat, stir the sauce and bring to a boil.
Then add in the deep fried spare ribs and mix well. Remember that the sauce will become thicker as it cools down, so you should turn off the heat a little before the sauce reaches the perfect consistency. Then sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Mix lightly and dish up onto plate to serve.
Serve this delicious spare ribs dish hot with steamed white rice and Enjoy!
Instructions
Preparing Ingredients:
Clean and Marinate Spare Ribs:
Cooking Cik Kong Ribs:
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- When selecting spare ribs, go for cuts that are less fatty (the tail-end ribs).
- When cleaning the spare ribs, make sure to toss and rub the cornstarch into the ribs. This will loosen up the grains and fiber of the ribs which helps to tenderise the ribs.
- Be sure to rinse the ribs under cold running water till all the cornstarch is gone. This cleaning process will remove any unpleasant smell and wash off some of the myoglobin which is the redness that appear on the meat. If the ribs are not washed, they will leave a meaty grainy taste.
- Heat up the wok before adding oil to deep fry spare ribs. If the wok is not hot enough the meat added will stick to the wok. The wok is hot when the centre turns pale and start to smoke.
- To test if oil is hot enough for deep frying, use a wooden chopstick. Oil is ready when bubbles begin to appear around the tip of a chopstick placed into the oil.
- Fry the spare ribs in batches to prevent overcrowding. If you overcrowd the wok, the oil temperature will drop.
- Remember that the sauce will become thicker as it cools down, so you should turn off the heat a little before the sauce reaches the perfect consistency
NUTRITION
Tips for Perfect Cik Kong Ribs
- Choose Quality Ribs: Opt for less fatty cuts for a more balanced flavor.
- Don’t Skip Cleaning: Cornstarch helps tenderize the meat and removes impurities.
- Heat Matters: Ensure your wok and oil are hot before frying to avoid sticking.
- Cook Sauce Carefully: The sauce thickens as it cools, so remove it from the heat just before it reaches your desired consistency.
Why This Recipe Is Great for Beginners
This recipe simplifies Chinese cooking techniques while delivering authentic results. From cleaning the ribs to mastering the perfect sweet-and-sour sauce, every step is easy to follow, making it ideal for those new to the kitchen.
FAQs About Cik Kong Ribs
Can I Use Pre-Cut Spare Ribs?
Absolutely! Pre-cut ribs save time and are just as delicious.
What If I Don’t Have Chinese Black Vinegar?
You can substitute it with balsamic vinegar for a similar tangy flavor.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a wok over low heat.
Final Thoughts
Cik Kong Spare Ribs are a must-try recipe for anyone who loves Chinese cuisine. With its balanced flavors and straightforward cooking process, it’s perfect for family dinners, gatherings, or when you want to treat yourself to something special. Try it today, and let us know how it turns out in the comments below!
