A typical Vietnamese home-cooked dish is steamed rice and fish sauce stew. Adding vegetable soup or stir-fry makes it more complete and wonderful.
Now, I like something with a bit of sourness to offset some of the richness, like this classic stew dish, song koh kom.
My kids and husband are not fans of pineapple so I don’t really like it. But the good thing about getting older is that you stop caring. This means even more to me.
What is Suong Ko.com?
In Vietnamese, sườn means ribs (or more precisely pork ribs), kho means stewed, and khóm (or thơm) means pineapple.
Sườn Kho Khóm is pork ribs braised with pineapple. This dish is also called by the name Sườn Kho Thơm or Sườn Kho Chua Ngọt.
Enjoy the sweet and sour taste of pineapple and the lean pork ribs. Additionally, the long simmer brings out the wonderful bone broth flavor, which is reduced to the glaze.
After all, it’s short ribs, so you have to eat it with your hands. Somehow, it just tastes even better.
what you need
To make this dish, gather the following ingredients:
Pork spareribs: My local Costco has pork spareribs that are cut into small sections rather than thick, long slabs. A pack typically contains three strips of pork ribs that are about 1 to 2 inches long. It’s still a little larger than the ones sold at Asian grocery stores, but it’s perfect for this recipe. Pineapple: I also often buy a whole pineapple at Costco. Cut it up and use 1/4 for this recipe and freeze the rest. Enzymes in the pineapple tenderize the meat, reducing the juices and creating a sweet, slightly tart glaze. If you can’t find fresh pineapple, you can also use canned pineapple. Aroma: Chopped shallots (yellow onions also work well) and minced garlic. Green onions: Slice them thinly. Save the white part for marinade and the green part for garnish at the end. Fish sauce: The flavorful umami backbone of this classic Vietnamese stew. Oyster sauce: Adds even more flavor. Rich soy sauce or Vietnamese caramelized cooking sauce (nước màu): This gives the meat a beautiful, rich, dark brown color. You can also use dark soy sauce. Granulated sugar: To balance the saltiness of the fish sauce and the sourness of the pineapple. Ground black pepper: A not-too-hot spice that’s great for both marinades and as a final garnish.
How to make
Step 1: Prepare and marinate the aromatics
Chop the pineapple and spices. Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces by making an incision between the bones.
Optional but recommended: To remove strong pork odors and impurities, wash the ribs under warm tap water until the water runs clear.
Combine the ribs in a bowl with the chopped shallots, garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, dark soy sauce, sugar (you may want to halve the pineapple as it may change the sweetness), and the white parts of the green onions.
Mix well and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight for even more flavor.
Step 2: Stew
Transfer all pork ribs and marinade to a wide skillet. Cook over high heat until the mixture boils, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Alternatively, you can pan-fry additional aromatics (garlic and shallots) first to build a deeper layer of flavor, but this method is faster and just as delicious.
Step 3: Reduce the sauce
After 20 minutes, lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered. The pineapple will release its natural juices and turn into a thicker glaze (about another 20 minutes).
Step 4: Decorate and serve
Turn off the fire. Add the reserved green onions and freshly ground black pepper for a final aroma. Serve with hot rice or other vegetable dishes for a complete meal.
pro tips
Want to skip pineapple completely? If you want something purely delicious, try my popular Braised Pork Recipe (Sườn Ram Mặn). Don’t you do fish sauce? Try my Chinese soy sauce version. Clean the ribs: Some recipes parboil the pork ribs first to remove bone chips and impurities that can look ungainly in the final glaze. I think it really depends on the quality of the meat, so if you’re starting with high-quality short ribs that don’t have a porky smell, you can omit it. Adjust sweetness: Fresh pineapples vary in sweetness. Save some sugar in the marinade, taste the reduced sauce at the end and adjust as necessary.
Storage and reheating
As with many Vietnamese stews, it tastes even better the next day, so be sure to double the recipe for delicious leftovers. It’s also perfect for preparing meals to take to school or work.
To store, keep in a pot with a lid for easy reheating on the stove, or transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until warmed through, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
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explanation
Want an authentic Vietnamese stew that’s not too heavy? Try our tender pork spareribs braised with pineapple. My husband and kids aren’t big fans, but who cares? I really love it. The sweet and sour taste of pineapple offsets the richness perfectly. Leftovers are even better the second day, so they’re also great for meal prep.
Marinade: Cut pork strips between the bones and into bite-sized pieces. If necessary, rinse the ribs under warm tap water until the water runs clear to remove any strong pork odor or impurities. Toss the spare ribs in a bowl with the chopped shallots, garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, dark soy sauce, sugar (I used half of the ingredients this time), and the white part of the green onion. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator for better flavor. Braising: Transfer all pork ribs and marinade to a wide skillet. Cook over high heat until the mixture boils, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Reduce the amount of sauce: After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered. The pineapple will release its natural juices and turn into a thicker glaze (about another 20 minutes). Taste and add remaining sugar if needed. Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat. Add the reserved green onions and freshly ground black pepper for a final aroma. Serve with hot rice and an optional vegetable dish for a complete meal.
Preparation time: half an hourCooking time: 40 minutescategory: Dinner, lunch, side dishesmethod: Stovecooking: asian, vietnamese
(Tag translation) Stewed
