20101113 What's Cooking - Stewed Sea Cucumber & Pork Ribs

STEWED SEA CUCUMBER & PORK RIBS

This is one of the delicacies that I have passed on from my father to my hubby and son.  There is no other way to enjoy this dish than to have it cut up in generous portion and cooked long enough for its sticky consistency.   If delicious means highly pleasing or agreeable to the senses, especially of taste or smell,  I can really feel the pain of deception when this "tasteless and bland" dish is served just for the sake of its appearance in which case I mean its emergence in a dish. 

This photo is another one I took with a piece facing inside out to show its thickness.  I have no choice as to thickness when this thing is sold, fresh form at Costco, 4-5 irregular sizes to a pack.  I bought two packs so I can have more of the thicker ones, still thankful for its expediency compared to the cost of buying them in dried form.  One may be able to choose the thickness and size when bought in dried form but cannot ignore the cost of rehydrating them through boiling and soaking for several days for it to re-absorb water. 

 Place pork ribs into preheated wok to get as much oil out of it as possible.  

This is a clearer photo of how much oil can be discarded.

Place the pork ribs back into the wok and season with soy sauce to taste.

Stir fry pork ribs in low heat and observe a darkening color, then add garlic.

Stir fry until garlic is cooked and then add water.

Bring to a boil in medium heat and then simmer in low heat.  This can be transferred to a stewing pot to cook till tender.

Meanwhile, cook ginger in the wok and add the sea cucumber pieces.

Stir fry ginger and sea cucumber pieces then add the stewed pork ribs.

Simmer until sea cucumber is soft and tender or of desired consistency.  Watch out that sauce doesn't dry up totally.


Please let me know how you love this dish.  
I shall post the cleaning procedure for fresh sea cucumber in another blog.
Enjoy!