Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨)

Steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce is one of the dishes that defines dim sum. It arrives in a small steamer basket, the ribs arranged in a single layer with bits of fermented black bean and flecks of chili pepper clinging to each piece. The meat is tender and succulent, the black bean salty and funky, and the dried mandarin peel adds a faint citrus perfume that lifts the whole thing.

The technique has a step that explains why dim sum ribs look different from anything you might make at home: the ribs are rinsed with cornstarch before marinating. You coat the cut ribs in cornstarch, then massage them under running water for a minute or two. The cornstarch acts as a gentle abrasive that scrubs away the myoglobin, the protein that gives raw meat its dark red color and raw-meat smell. The result is ribs that are lighter in color and cleaner in flavor, which allows the black bean marinade to come through more clearly.

The marinating is simple: fermented black beans rinsed briefly to reduce their saltiness, then combined with minced garlic, ginger, rehydrated dried mandarin peel, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. The ribs sit in this for at least 30 minutes. Steaming takes about 20 minutes. The key is arranging the ribs in a single layer with no overlap, so every piece cooks evenly.