Dad's Authentic Cantonese Borscht Soup: A Chinese Chef's Secrets

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables: Cut the green cabbage into thick strips then bite-sized pieces, removing the hard core. Trim celery stalks and remove stringy fibers, then dice into small chunks. Peel potatoes and carrots if desired, cutting potatoes into large cubes and carrots into bite-sized chunks. Cut the red onion into chunks. Remove seeds and core from chili pepper and chop into small pieces. Cut tomatoes into bite-sized pieces, dicing the last tomato into smaller pieces. Smash ginger and garlic into small pieces, and cut lemon in half.
2. Parboil the spare ribs: Add spare ribs to a wok or pot full of clean, cold water (about 4-5 cups for 1 lb of ribs). Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for 30 seconds, skimming off foamy scum and debris from the surface. Transfer the parboiled spare ribs to a bowl of cold water and scrub off any remaining debris with your hands. Pour out the scummy water and quickly clean the wok or pot.
3. Stir-fry the ingredients: Dry the wok if needed and set heat to low. Add corn oil, then add ginger and garlic, stir-frying for 15-20 seconds until fragrant. Add onions and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the smaller, diced tomatoes and cook for about 30 seconds. Add potatoes and carrots, turning heat to medium or high to cook off liquid. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining tomatoes and chili peppers, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add celery. Mix in ketchup, add the parboiled spare ribs, season with black pepper, and stir. Turn off heat and safely transfer all ingredients to a large soup pot.
4. Cook the soup: Add chicken broth to the soup pot with stir-fried ingredients and turn heat to high. Add boiling water and stir well to ensure everything is mixed. Add cabbage, bay leaves, and lemon. Bring everything to a boil with the lid on to speed up the process. Once boiling, turn heat down to medium-low, uncover and mix, then cover again and let simmer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, season with salt and sugar, taste, and adjust seasoning to your liking.