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

Instructions

1. Cut the green cabbage open, discard the hard core, and cut into thick strips then bite-sized pieces. Trim the celery, remove stringy fibers, and dice into small chunks. Peel the potatoes and carrots if desired, then cut into bite-sized pieces (wet your knife when cutting potatoes to prevent sticking). Cut the red onion in half and dice into chunks. Cut the chili pepper open, discard seeds and core, and chop into small pieces. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and bite-sized pieces, dicing the last tomato smaller. Smash the ginger and garlic into small pieces, and cut the lemon in half.
2. Add the spare ribs to a wok or pot full of clean, cold water (approximately 4-5 cups for 1 lb of ribs). Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for 30 seconds while foamy scum rises to the surface. Scoop the parboiled spare ribs into a bowl of cold water and scrub off any debris with your hands. Pour out the scummy water and quickly clean the wok or pot.
3. Set the heat to low and add the corn oil to the wok. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 15-20 seconds until fragrant. Add the onions and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the smaller diced tomatoes and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and carrots, turn the heat up to medium or high, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining tomatoes and chopped chili peppers, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the celery. Add the ketchup and mix it in. Add the parboiled spare ribs and season with black pepper, stirring to combine. Turn off the heat and safely transfer all ingredients into a large soup pot.
4. Add the chicken broth to the soup pot with stir-fried ingredients. Turn the heat to high. Add the boiling water and give everything a good stir to ensure it's well-mixed. Add the cabbage, bay leaves, and lemon. Bring everything to a boil, then put the lid on the pot. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and uncover to mix. Put the lid back on and let it simmer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, season with salt and sugar, then taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.