Instant Pot Chinese Pork Rib Soup.

  • January 23rd, 2021
  • By Katy Jao
Ingredients:
  • 2 pounds pork ribs (spare ribs or baby back ribs cut into 1.5 inches)
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup of dried wood ear (optional)
  • 4 slices of ginger
  • 3 scallions, cut in 2 inch sections
  • 1 dried honey date
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
  • 5 cups of water
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

Serve with:

  • Chinese bok choy
  • Chinese dried noodles
Details:
  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Makes: 4 servings
Instructions:

Refer to process photos below.

  1. Cut the ribs into little chunks, with one rib bone in each chunk.
  2. Bring a saucepan with water to a boil. Blanch the pork ribs for 3-4 minutes in the water in order to clean the pork. Drain the pork and set aside.
  3. Rehydrate the dried wood ear (if using) and dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  4. In an Instant Pot, add the blanched pork ribs, the rehydrated wood ear and mushrooms, ginger, scallions, the dried date, the carrots, and 5 cups of water.
  5. Put the Instant Pot on the meat/stew setting (high pressure) for 30 minutes.
  6. After naturally releasing for 15 minutes, open the Instant Pot. Season the soup with salt and white pepper to taste.
  7. Serve with blanched bok choy and boiled noodles.

This is a super simple Instant Pot recipe requiring just 10 minute of hands-on time to create a light and healthy soup that warms the soul.

why i love this recipe

When it's cold outside or when I'm feeling under the weather, I always crave a warm soup to make me feel better. I love this recipe because it uses just a few simple ingredients to create a very clean and light soup.

The secret ingredient to this soup is the addition of a dried honey date. Vincent's mom shared this ingredient as the reason why her soups were always so delicious. This date adds a subtle sweetness to the soup, balancing perfectly with the warmth of white pepper and ginger.

Tips and Suggestions
  • Continue to taste the soup after seasoning to decide whether or not to add additional salt or white pepper. You should be able to clearly taste the sweetness of the dates and the meaty-ness of the ribs.
Notes:
  • Instead of carrots, you could add daikon, pumpkin, corn, or any other hard vegetables.
  • I love dipping the ribs in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili oil.
Let's wrap this up

If it's a little chilly out or if you're not feeling 100%, you should definitely give this soup a try! Effortlessly, you'll have a big bowl of comfort to soothe and rejuvenate you.