Dish · Benbang
Sweet and sour spare ribs, Shanghai style
Not the fluorescent red thing you have had abroad. Dark, sticky, and based on vinegar rather than ketchup.
Chinese sweet and sour, done properly, uses Chinkiang black vinegar and never tomato ketchup. That single substitution explains why the version from takeaway counters abroad tastes nothing like this one.
The Shanghai version is darker and more sour than the Cantonese one, glossy rather than wet, and served at room or warm temperature as part of a table.
Telling it apart from the Cantonese version
Cantonese sweet and sour pork is battered, bright orange, and served with pineapple in some places. The Shanghai version has no batter, no pineapple, and a dark brown glaze.
Same name in English, completely different dishes.
Where it comes from
Wuxi, about 40 minutes northwest by train, is the home of the style and does it sweeter than Shanghai. In the city you will meet it in any Benbang restaurant.
It is the safest dish on the menu for eating with children or with anyone suspicious of unfamiliar food.
FAQ
Questions
Everything on this site is written and re-checked on the ground. When something changes, this page changes.
Is it spicy?
No — it is sour and sweet and nothing else.
Why is it dark?
Dark soy sauce and caramelised sugar, not food colouring. The colour comes from sauce reduced onto the meat.
Is there a non-fried version?
Some restaurants braise them directly, which is less crisp but just as good. Worth asking if you prefer it.
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