Dong Bei Luan Dun (东北乱炖)

Luan dun means "chaotic stew" and that is exactly the spirit of this Dongbei heirloom dish — whatever vegetables and meat are on hand go into the pot together and are left to braise until the flavours collapse into one another. Historically cooked over wood-fired kangs through the long winter, it is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food of northeast China.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) pork spare ribs, chopped into 5cm pieces
• 300g (10 oz) napa cabbage, cut into large chunks
• 2 medium potatoes (300g / 10 oz), peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 medium carrots, cut into thick rounds
• 150g (5 oz) green beans or long beans, cut into 5cm lengths
• 150g (5 oz) firm tofu, cut into 4cm cubes
• 3 tbsp (45ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (30ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 2 dried chillies
• 2 spring onions, cut into 4cm pieces
• 600ml (2.5 cups) water or pork stock
• 2 tbsp (30ml) neutral oil

Instructions

1. Blanch the pork ribs in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and dried chillies and fry for 30 seconds.
3. Add the blanched ribs and stir-fry 3–4 minutes until lightly coloured.
4. Pour in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Stir to coat. Add water or stock and bring to a boil.
5. Add potatoes, carrots, and spring onions. Cover, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Add napa cabbage, green beans, and tofu. Stir gently to submerge. Cover and cook a further 20–25 minutes until all vegetables are very tender and the broth is rich and dark.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve directly from the pot with steamed white rice.

Cook's Notes: The dish improves greatly the next day. Dongbei cooks sometimes add glass noodles (soaked bean vermicelli) in the final 5 minutes to soak up the broth.