Sour Plum Steamed Pork Ribs and Sour Plum Lotus Root Slices

Why people make these dishes

Sour plum (suan mei) has been a staple of Chinese kitchens and medicine cabinets for a very long time, and for good reason. The sour, slightly salty preserved plum is thought in Chinese food therapy to help the body maintain a healthy internal environment — supporting the idea of counteracting an overly “acidic” body state with alkaline-forming foods. In practice, sour plum is prized as a digestive stimulant and appetite opener. It pairs wonderfully with rich, fatty proteins like pork, cutting through the heaviness and adding a bright, tangy flavour that is deeply satisfying. These two recipes — one hot and savoury, one cold and pickled — show how versatile a single ingredient can be.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for most people as everyday dishes; particularly good for those who want to support digestion or stimulate appetite
• Those with gastritis or excess stomach acid should enjoy in moderation
• The pickled lotus root is a light, refreshing side dish suitable for most constitutions
• People with thick tongue coating (a sign of heavy dampness) can also use sour plum; it is considered compatible with damp-prone constitutions

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Sour plum (suan mei): In Chinese food therapy, sour plum is associated with stimulating the production of digestive fluids, helping to regulate the body’s internal acid-alkaline balance, and having mild antibacterial properties; the sour flavour is also linked to supporting liver function
• Lotus root (lian ou): Neutral in nature and cooling; associated in food therapy with nourishing the stomach, clearing heat and supporting a healthy digestive lining; the brief blanching before pickling is important — raw lotus root should not be eaten directly

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

Dish 1 — Sour Plum Steamed Pork Ribs:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Sour preserved plums (suan mei)	3 pieces	Lightly mash before using
Pork ribs	450 g (~12 liang)	Cut into bite-sized pieces
Red chilli	1	Sliced
Ginger, minced	1 teaspoon
Garlic, minced	3 cloves
Sugar	0.5 tablespoon
Salt	0.5 teaspoon
Light soy sauce	1 tablespoon
Potato starch	to coat

Dish 2 — Sour Plum Lotus Root:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Sour preserved plums (suan mei)	4 pieces
Lotus root	1 section	Peeled
White sugar	60 g
White rice vinegar	30 ml
Salt	1 teaspoon
Cold boiled water	to cover

Method

Sour Plum Steamed Pork Ribs:

1. Combine sour plum with ginger, garlic, chilli, sugar, salt, soy sauce and potato starch to form the marinade.
2. Toss pork rib pieces with the marinade and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Arrange in a heatproof dish and steam over boiling water for about 12 minutes until cooked through.
4. Serve immediately. (The same plum marinade also works well with chicken wings or pork collar.)

Sour Plum Lotus Root:

1. Soak the sour plums in cold boiled water for 30 minutes, then stir in sugar, vinegar and salt to form a brine.
2. Peel the lotus root and drop immediately into a pot of boiling water. Blanch for 3 minutes, then remove.
3. Place the blanched lotus root into the plum brine. Leave to soak for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Remove, slice thinly and serve as a refreshing side dish.

Bro Niu’s tips

For lotus root, always blanch briefly before adding to the plum brine — do not eat it raw. The same sour plum marinade is equally delicious with chicken wings or pork collar. Plum wine is a wonderful way to preserve the benefits of sour plum: steep one jin of fresh green plums with a bottle of glutinous rice wine or red rice wine and half a jin of rock sugar in a glass jar. Seal and leave for two to three months. The resulting wine shares all the digestive and body-balancing benefits of the fresh plum.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (CL): Can raw sour plum be eaten for the same benefits? And can lotus root be eaten raw? I have gastritis. Bro Niu: Lotus root should not be eaten raw — drop it into boiling water to blanch it first, then it is safe to use in the pickled preparation. Those with gastritis can eat it, but if you tend towards excess stomach acid, take it in moderation.

• Q (kelly): My tongue coating is always thick. Is that dampness? Can I use sour plum and plum wine? Bro Niu: A persistently thick tongue coating does suggest heavy internal dampness. You can certainly use sour plum and plum wine. For the dampness, you might also try brewing cloud poria (yun fu ling), white atractylodes (bai zhu) and hyacinth bean skin (bian dou yi) as a tea — a Chinese herb shop can put together one or two doses for you.

• Q (mayluk): How do you make plum wine with glutinous rice wine or red rice wine? Bro Niu: Use one jin of fresh green plums, one bottle of glutinous rice wine or red rice wine, and half a jin of rock sugar. Wash the plums in cold boiled water, pat dry, then place in a glass jar with the rock sugar. Pour in the wine, seal, and leave to infuse for two to three months. Do give it a try!

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Published April 28, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.