Cut ribs into 1-inch to 1.5-inch sections. Load a wok with cold water, add the ribs, ginger, scallion, and Shaoxing wine. Continue cooking for around 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer out and rinse under running warm water. Set aside to drain. For beginners, I recommend pat dry the ribs with kitchen paper to avoid oil sprinkling.
Melt the sugar – Add cooking oil and smashed rock sugar in a wok, and heat over a slow fire. Keep stirring until the sugar melts and turns into dark red.
Add ribs to coat the sugar color, fry until the ribs are well colored.
Pour enough hot water to cover. Add light soy sauce, black vinegar and optionally add star anise to add a naughty flavor.
Cover the lid and simmer for 25 minutes over slowest fire. Stir once or twice in the process.Turn over the fire to the middle, remove the lids, and start thickening the sauce. Keep stirring at the last stage so the sugar can cool down during the moving and attach to the ribs.
Add extra 1 tablespoon of black vinegar before transfer out. Watch out carefully at this stage, don’t get the ribs burnt.
Garnish chopped spring onions before serving.
Notes
When stir frying the sugar color, use slowest fire and keep stirring. Remove the work from fire if the temperature is too hot.
The ribs should be drained completely before adding to the wok, otherwise the sugar color might splash out.