Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

Tangcu Paigu is Shanghai's answer to the more famous 'sweet and sour pork' — but far more refined. Small pork spare ribs are marinated, deep-fried until golden, then wok-tossed in a glossy sauce of Zhenjiang black vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and ketchup. The sauce clings to each rib in a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The meat should be tender enough to pull off the bone with chopsticks. It's served cold or at room temperature as a 'cold appetizer' — a hallmark of Shanghainese banquet tradition.

📖 History

Shanghai's sweet and sour spare ribs evolved from the Zhejiang/Shanghai tradition of cold appetizers. Unlike Cantonese sweet and sour pork, it's served cold and uses black vinegar for depth.