Wuxi, Jiangsu Province — Wuxi cuisine is the sweetest expression of Jiangnan cooking; the ribs are the defining dish
Wuxi pao gu (Wuxi pork spareribs): the sweet-dominant braised pork ribs of Jiangsu cuisine — braised in soy, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and aromatics until tender and lacquered. Wuxi cuisine is the sweetest expression of Jiangnan cooking. The sauce is extremely sweet by any other regional standard. Served with the thick, sweet sauce poured over.
Intensely sweet, deeply savoury, tender — the sweetest mainstream Chinese braise; a Jiangsu culinary identity statement
{"Rock sugar quantity is significantly higher than in Shanghai version — authentic Wuxi ribs are unambiguously sweet","Long braise minimum 1.5 hours — ribs should be very tender","Sauce reduced to thick, sticky glaze consistency before serving","Blanch ribs first — removes impurities that cloud the sauce"}
{"Add a small amount of hawthorn berry (shan zha) to the braise — helps tenderise and adds slight tartness to balance sweetness","The ribs should be small, not full rack size — they braise more evenly","Wuxi-style applies to other proteins (pork belly, duck) for the same sweet-dominant effect"}
{"Insufficient sugar — Wuxi ribs should be noticeably, even startlingly, sweet","Short braise time — ribs not tender enough","Watery sauce — must be reduced properly to coating consistency"}
Land of Fish and Rice — Fuchsia Dunlop