Steamed Spare Ribs (Dim Sum!)

Sometimes I go to the Asian grocery store and they have strips of spare ribs (or precut to serving size) and the cost is very reasonable. I know this is not a healthy cut of meat, but it is a dim sum dish I can recreate with ease. I used to get this dish sometimes when going for dim sum with my parents, but because it is so fatty, my dad no longer wants to get it. To be honest, there are many other things I would prefer while at the restaurant, especially now that I can make this at home. But if you are in Scarborough and happen to be wanting to try this dish, the best restaurant by far is Very Fair Seafood restaurant. They open at 8.30am and is a true dim sum experience. I've read some reviews and to haters I say 'suck it up!' Not every restaurant is going to follow western fashion; if you pick up on social queues from those around you, the servers have a system of getting you what you want. The important thing is that the food is great and not expensive. It's rare I've had poor quality, and if something is 'old', you can tell fairly quickly.

But back to the point, the steamed spare ribs are super tasty. At home we just eat over rice. Super yummy. Super easy.

Top layer of steamed spare ribs all ready to eat

Steamer on wok: water barely touches the bottom of the steamer

Ingredients

Spare Ribs (niblets)		2 lbs
Black Fungus		1/2 cup
Garlic		10 gloves, ground
Ginger (fresh, grated)		1/2 tsp
Cooking Wine Vinegar		4 tbsp
Dark Soy Sauce		2 tbsp
Canola		1 tbsp
Sesame Oil		1 tbsp
Black Pepper		1 tbsp, freshly ground
Chili Peppers		1 pepper, sliced

Preparation:

1. If the spare ribs are in strips, cut exactly between each bone so each piece has a 'rib'
2. Wash ribs in vinegar and salt solution (sit for 5 minutes) and rinse 
3. In a marinating dish (preferably with a lid), add all other ingredients
4. Add ribs, lock dish and shake to coat every rib well
5. set in fridge (closed) to marinate, preferably overnight
6. In a bamboo steamer (or regular steamer, if you don't have bamboo) place parchment down on each level.
7. Spread marinated ribs out evenly on each level of steamer
8. In a small bowl, add the black fungus and boiling water. Let sit for 10 minutes
9. In a wok, heat enough water (just to touch the bottom of the steamer) to a boil 
10. Drain fungus and sprinkle on top of ribs
11. (optional) sprinkle on sliced chilis
12. When pot comes to a boil, place steamer on top of pot
13. Steam for 20 minutes and serve

My Favourite Yogurt

I hate fruit-cup-yogurt. It's pretty much jelly with yogurt and sickeningly sweet. I don't know how yogurt morphed into all this crap on the market; pre-prepared yogurt drinks, sweetened yogurt,fruit-jam-yogurt, I can barely stomach half of it. And that's even before I get to the texture. It has become this runny glop in a cup. It's like a black hole to the two of you in a grocery store. The closer you get, the harder it is to pull you away from the cartoon character sugared yogurt drinks, and as I pull you away with your arms outstretched, claims of 'but I like it' frustrate me to no end. There are some slightly sweetened brands that are not too bad, but I stress that those are dessert like snacks, resembling nothing of what a real yogurt should be. They use yogurt as an ingredient, while real yogurt is so incredibly versatile that it only makes sense to stock the real deal in your fridge.

Yogurt with walnuts and honey (before you were born, Alistair!)

My preferred brand.