Braised black bean pork ribs with bittergourd 苦瓜黑豆焖排骨

I have been dreaming alot for Braised black bean pork ribs with bittergourd 苦瓜黑豆焖排骨 of late. 

I hardly have a chance to eat bittergourd as it is a no for hub and the kids.  To mask the bitter taste, I think I can try out this recipe to see whether I can get away with it.

This dish goes really well with a bowl of steaming white Jasmine rice.  Don't you agree?

Adapted from : Minty's Kitchen

What you need:

800g pork ribs
1 medium sized bitter gourd, cut into pieces

knob of ginger (about 3cm), minced

4 cloves  garlic, minced 

2 shallots, minced

2 tbsp fermented soy beans

½ tsp fermented black beans

2 birds' eye chillies (optional)

10 g rock sugar / 1/2 tsp sugar

¼ tsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce2 tbsp cooking wine

¼ tsp pepper
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp sesame oil

1½ cup  water

spring onion & coriander leaves - garnishing

cornstarch + water (for thickening the gravy) - i do away with this

What you need:

Blanch in boiling water for a minute.  Drain.

Heat oil in a saucepan and saute ginger, shallots and garlic until fragrant. 

Add fermented soy beans, black beans and chillies.  Stir for a minute.

Add in pork ribs and stir fry for about 5 minutes.  

Then add in wine, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and pepper. Stir fry for another minute before adding water.  Bring to the boil.  

Lower the heat and let it simmer until ribs are tender.  

Add in bitter gourd.  Cook for another 15 minutes.  

Thicken gravy with cornstarch. 

Enjoy.