Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨

南乳蓮藕炆排骨 Red Fermented Bean Curd with Lotus Roots and Pork Ribs is a popular household recipe in Cantonese Hong Kong Chinese cooking. This easy-to-make Instant Pot pressure cooker braises spare ribs in red fermented bean curd (nam yue) in 30-minute bursts with umami taste and different textures. It is like a warm hug as we enter Autumn Equinox and the temperatures dip.

> In This Post: Everything You'll Need For The Best Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨

Lotus root recipes are often enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Their cylindrical shape symbolizes luck and unity. Braised spareribs with lotus roots in red fermented beancurd sauce go perfectly with fresh steamed white rice. I would often refill it because it is so delicious and inviting. In fact, this savoury Lotus root autumn recipe is nourishing, warming and rich in nutrients.

Check out this quick story summary of our recipe!

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• > In This Post: Everything You'll Need For The Best Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨
• What Are Lotus Roots?
• Lotus Roots Health Benefits & TCM Properties
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Instructions
• What To Serve With Instant Pot Braised Spareribs and Lotus Roots with Red Fermented Bean Curd 南乳蓮藕炆排骨
• > Recipe Card
• Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨

What Are Lotus Roots?

In Chinese, Lotus Root is called 藕节,Ǒujié or 蓮藕, Liánǒu. The lotus root is the edible rhizome of the lotus plant. The rhizome is a subterranean stem that grows horizontally as a line of interconnected root structures connected by nodes. 

Lotus roots are available year-round and peak seasonally during Fall through Winter.

Lotus Flower 蓮花

Lotus flowers are usually pink or white but can also be blue, purple, or yellow. 

Common lotus flowers are native to Asia and parts of the Middle East and grow in the mud of shallow ponds, marshes and flood plains. 

White Snow Lotus is a rare perennial herb which grows slowly in the Qinghai, Tibetan Plateau high mountain crevices with altitudes approximately 5,000 m above sea level.

In Chinese culture, the lotus flower (蓮花, liánhuā / 荷花, héhuā) symbolizes purity, honesty and goodness and is known as the gentleman's flower because it grows out of the mud but is unstained.

What Does Lotus Roots Tastes Like?

Lotus roots are sweet and savoury and resemble the taste of water chestnuts. Its edible stem is crispy and crunchy raw. Once boiled, braised or stewed, lotus roots are soft, chewy and silky. 

How To Choose Lotus Roots?

Look for lotus roots that are firm and heavy instead of ones that are bruised with soft spots. Preserved and packaged lotus roots will have their stems peeled and soaked in vinegar to maintain their pale-coloured flesh. 

Choose ones that have an enclosed node. They are the cleanest, without a lot of mud and sediment.

Here are a couple lotus root-forward bowls I am genuinely obsessed with from the blog! Both these recipes are delicious and easy to make!

 Other Lotus Root Recipes  

• Lotus Root Pork Bone Soup without Peanuts
• Lotus Root Stir Fry
• Korean Lotus Root
• Osmanthus Lotus Root with Glutinous Rice

Lotus Roots Health Benefits & TCM Properties

Lotus Roots enter the liver, lung and stomach meridians. 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, raw and cooked lotus roots have different effects.

This "spiritual root (灵根)," according to traditional Chinese medicine, raw and cooked lotus roots have different effects. When eaten raw, lotus root is sweet and cold, which can clear away pathogenic heat and cool the blood, remove blood stagnation and stop bleeding; when cooked, lotus root has a mild nature and flavour, which can help strengthen the spleen and stomach, relieve diarrhea, nourish blood and improve skin.

Raw lotus root help clear the lungs and stops bleeding. For some people, cooked lotus root may be heaty. Adding some green mung beans and tangerine peels is an excellent idea to reduce heatiness! 

Ingredients and Substitutes

Lotus Roots 蓮藕 - Raw lotus roots available in Asian supermarkets may come in a single root stub (internode) or a series of interconnected internodes that feed the lotus flower. Some lotus roots come sliced and prepackaged. Always opt for fresh raw lotus roots! 

Red Fermented Bean Curd 南乳 - Bottles of red fermented beancurd are available at Asian supermarkets and Chinese grocers. Unlike white fermented tofu, preserved red bean curd is distinctively red thanks to the use of red yeast rice! Preserved tofu has an intense umami profile that is irresistible!

Spareribs 排骨 - The optimal cut of meat, spareribs is half lean and half fat. Spareribs that are cut into smaller pieces are the best. Pork hock or pig feet are also great substitutes because they have a lot of meat attached to the bone. Some let to use pork belly. King oyster mushrooms are a great meat alternative for vegetable-seeking friends!

Vegetable Oil - Choose a neutral tasting oil. Olive oil is not suitable.

Marinade Seasoning 

• Ginger 薑
• Garlic 蒜頭
• Rock Sugar 冰糖
• Oyster Sauce 蠔油
• Shaoxing Wine 紹興酒
• Dark Soy Sauce 老抽
• Light Soy Sauce 生抽 
• Corn Starch 粟粉
• Ground White Pepper 胡椒粉 
• Chicken Essence Powder 雞粉

You can purchase most dry goods ingredients, tools and supplies at your local Asian grocery stores or online at my Amazon Store. I have linked the products for your convenience!

Optional Ingredients and Variations

A pot of this stewed red fermented bean curd with lotus roots is very delicious! Here are a few additional ingredients that go well with this dish. I love adding a few of the following ingredients whenever we have a large group dining or when we just feel like something extra!

Dried Beancurd Sheets - add a few sticks of dried tofu skin to your stew! They are great for soaking up the sauce! 

Shiitake Mushrooms - learn how to quickly resuscitate dried Chinese mushrooms.

Baby Napa Cabbage - I love adding a few baby napa cabbage leaves to the bottom of the stewing pot. Napa cabbages help prevent the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pot and also is a great veggie add-on!

Tangerine Peels 陳皮 - Adding a slice of aged tangerine peel is fragrantly soothing, and normalizes your meridians.  

Green Mung Beans 綠豆 - Mung beans are sweet in taste, cool in nature, and enter the heart and stomach meridian. If cooked lotus roots are too heaty for your constituents, add a handful of green mung beans to cool away heat, detox the liver, relieve summer heat and quench thirst. 

Instructions

Instant Pot pressure cooker is the easiest method to make Authentic Braised Lotus Roots and Pork Ribs with Red Fermented Bean Curd. This crowd-favourite Cantonese cuisine is deliciously flavourful, tender and bursts with umami if you follow our step-by-step instructions! This dish is lovely with a bowl of steamed rice!

If you have the patience, slow-cook this recipe on the stove. The taste is incredible and scrumptious! 

Wash, trim, and dry the fresh spareribs with kitchen paper towels.

Cut the ribs into smaller pieces, about 2-inch chunks. 

In a small bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together. 

Marinade the ribs and the seasoning mixture in a large bowl for at least 20 minutes.

Wash and pat dry lotus roots. Cut off both ends of the nodes. Slice lotus roots width-wise or into smaller chunks about 2 inches. 

Add vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and set to "Saute" mode. This would be equivalent to medium high heat on the stovetop.

Once the oil is hot, add in minced garlic and sliced ginger. Let fragrant for 2-3 minutes.

Next, brown the spareribs and add the rest of the ingredients, including lotus roots and red fermented tofu paste. Mix well.

Add a cup of water or chicken stock to deglaze the pan.

Close the lid, set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 20 minutes, and let it naturally release pressure. If you are in a hurry, you can opt for a quick release.

After the pressure valve drops, remove the lid.

Select "Saute" mode to thicken the sauce and add a little cornstarch slurry. Mix well until the sauce reduces to your desired consistency!

Serve these tender spareribs with soft lotus roots, white jasmine rice garnished with fresh cilantro, and spoonfuls of finely chopped green onions.

Serve and enjoy!

How To Meal Prep

You can store Red Fermented Bean Curd With Lotus Roots and Spareribs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

You can efficiently work an easy Instant Pot Braised Ribs recipe into your family meal prep ideas for the week. Simply double batch this recipe with the lean meat, marinade, and lotus roots into vacuum-sealed bags and place them into the freezer.

Sous-vided safe vacuum-sealed bags filled with marinated lotus roots can be defrosted to be steamed or directly cooked in the sous vide machine.

It is so easy you do not even need to rely on an Asian meal prep delivery service for takeout!

What To Serve With Instant Pot Braised Spareribs and Lotus Roots with Red Fermented Bean Curd 南乳蓮藕炆排骨

This great recipe is delicious umami-rich comfort food in Chinese cuisine. It is perfect as a meal prep Fall dish. 

Enjoy this flavourful braised lotus root alone or as a one-pot dish meal prepped for the week! 

Complete the meal with the following delicious dishes.

• Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts and Chives 爆炒豆芽菜韭菜
• Fish Maw Crab Meat Soup 蟹肉魚肚羹 (鱼膘羹)
• Instant Pot Braised Chinese Mushrooms 髮菜炆冬菇食譜
• Microwave Soy Sauce Chicken Wings 豉油雞翅微波爐
• Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-fry 番茄炒蛋

Other Chinese Spareribs Recipes We Love

• Steamed Pork Ribs with Kabocha Squash 豉汁南瓜蒸排骨
• Air Fryer Honey Garlic Pork Ribs 蒜子蜜汁骨
• Winter Melon Soup With Pork Ribs 冬瓜湯

After eating lots of heavy, rich, and deep-fried foods, a great way to reduce heat is with a bowl of this liver-detoxing Chinese Sweet Mung Bean Soup 綠豆沙 or Hawthorn Goji Berry Tea Digestion Tea 山楂杞子茶 that aids digestion.

I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.

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