Step 1

Place the rib pieces, clear rice wine, light soy sauce, sugar, salt, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper into a bowl. Mix until the ribs are evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight for best results.

Step 2

We highly recommend marinating overnight (marinating for less time will yield less tender ribs). However, if you’re strapped for time, marinate for at least 1 hour—or at least 2 hours for meatier ribs.

Step 3

Add the cornstarch and water to the marinated ribs, and mix well until there is no standing liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

Step 4

Heat a saucepan over low heat. Add the oil and garlic, and stir occasionally until the garlic turns slightly translucent and is fragrant but not browned—about 4-5 minutes. (Garlic turns bitter if overly browned or burned in hot oil.)

Step 5

Place the taro cubes in a single layer on a large heatproof shallow bowl. Place the marinated ribs on top of the taro. Then spoon the garlic and oil evenly over the top of the ribs.

Step 6

Next, bring some water to a simmer in a metal steamer or in a wok with a metal steaming rack set in the bottom. (Learn more about how to set up a steamer.) Place the heatproof bowl with your ribs into your steaming apparatus, cover, and steam for 20-25 minutes, or until the ribs are opaque and the taro is cooked through.

Step 7

Garnish with chopped scallion if desired, and serve over rice with your favorite stir-fried vegetable on the side.