Coffee pork ribs is a Singaporean dish popularized by celebrity chef Sam Leong. It's meaty, savory coffee you can chew. Pork ribs are marinated, deep-fried, then tossed in a sticky coffee sauce. Pork and coffee make an unusual couple but their marriage works surprisingly well.
I love food that's slightly bitter, like bitter gourd and bitter chocolate, and anything made with coffee such as coffee cheesecake and coffee candy.
Pork ribs deep-fried and coated with coffee?
Yes, please!
Making coffee pork ribs isn't difficult. The only tricky part is deep-frying the ribs so that the batter is crisp but the meat is still juicy. But it's nothing that can't be nailed after practising a few times.
The sauce for the ribs is made with instant coffee powder, Worcestershire sauce, maltose and sugar. The recipe is from "All About Pork Ribs". I like it because it has the right hint of coffee, and it doesn't use any unusual ingredients.
Like a lot of people, I have quite a jaded palette. So I'm always on the lookout off the (culinary) beaten path, hoping to find something exciting. That's why I love the taste of coffee in a savory meat dish. It's unusual, in a very good way.
This recipe has a good balance between ribs and coffee. You can taste the coffee, but it doesn't overwhelm the ribs.
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g pork prime ribs, chopped about 3 cm long
- 1 egg
- 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp white sesame oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 3½ tbsp water
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 3 tbsp potato flour
- vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 2 tbsp maltose
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp instant coffee powder
- 3 tbsp water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash and dry ribs. Beat marinade ingredients till well combined. Massage ribs with marinade. Marinate for 2 hours, stirring once mid-way.
- Mix potato flour and plain flour. Give ribs and marinade a thorough stir. Transfer ribs (minus excess marinade) to flour mixture. Toss till ribs are well coated.
- Deep-fry ribs in moderately hot oil over medium heat till just cooked and lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Drain.
- Reheat oil till just smoking. Refry ribs till golden brown. Drain again.
- Heat sauce ingredients till thickened. Taste and if necessary adjust seasoning. Add ribs. Toss till well coated.
- Plate and serve.