Pork Rib Soup with Pickled Mustard Greens...

I love this savoury and tangy Chinese-style soup which also appears on Vietnamese tables, a mild contrast to the other strong flavoured and complex soups of Vietnam. It is a great addition to start an Asian meal whetting the palate with the sour notes of tomato and pickle-ly mustard greens with the finishing topping of aromatic sautéed green onions. My family loves this soup, nibbling the meat off the little riblets and I'm sure it'll be a hit with yours!

Pork Rib Soup with Pickled Mustard Greens
Makes 6 servings

1 lb. small pork ribs, cut into small sections
Salt and ground black pepper to season
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
8 cups (2 L) water
1 Tbsp. oil, divided
5 green onions, white parts only, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges and halved
1 package (300 g) pickled sour mustard greens, chopped (buy at Asian supermarket in the dried/canned vegetable aisle)
Red chilies, sliced, served on the side

Mix the pepper, sugar, fish sauce and soy sauce, and coat the ribs. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight if you have time.

Chinese mustard leaves are the most pungent of Asian greens making them perfect for pickling.

Sauté the ribs in a skillet and reserve the marinade in its bowl.  Add water to a pot along with the ribs and bring to a boil, then skim the surface of scum and oil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for one-1/2 hours or until pork is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in the skillet over high heat, Sauté the green onions until fragrant and tender; remove into a small bowl leaving some oil behind in the skillet. Add the regular onion and cook for two minutes or until golden brown. Add tomatoes; cook for three minutes. Now add the mixture to the soup with reserved marinade along with the pickled mustard greens. Simmer for another ten minutes, remove from heat, then swirl the sautéed green onions with a spoon. Serve with chopped chilies at the table.

A simple and delicious soup to start your meal!