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It has been more than half year I didn’t have the Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶). So I decided to boil it last weekend. I miss this! It is one of my favorite soups back home. Bak Kut Teh is actually a Hokkien name for this dish, literally translated as “meat bone tea”. It is a famous Chinese herbal soup cooked with pork meat served in Malaysia. You can find it almost everywhere especially in Klang, where it is believed to have the best Bak Kut Teh across the country.

Bak Kut Teh consists of meaty pork ribs simmered with herbs and spices such as Dong Quai (當歸), star anise, cinnamon, cloves (丁香) and garlic. Additionally, it is loaded with some other ingredients such as dried shitake mushrooms, golden needle mushrooms, button mushrooms, and fried tofu puffs. Normally, it requires a couple of hours for simmering. Just like those slow cooked soups I made previously.

The Chinese fried dough strip (油條) is often served for dipping into the Bak Kut Teh. It goes so well with it and I supposed to go grab few back but I was just too lazy to go out. At least, I’ve made the condiment with the soy sauce and chopped chilli padi (bird’s eye chili) for dipping. And yes, it is best eaten with steamed white rice.

Ingredients:
4 pack of Bak Kut Teh herbs (A1 Bak Kut Teh spices pack bought from Malaysia)
1 lb pork ribs (I used baby pork ribs)
1/2 lb pork loin
2 garlic bulbs (washed, crushed)
8 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in hot water, cut into half)
1 pack golden needle mushroom (trimmed the bottom)
1/2 can button mushroom
Some tofu puffs (roughly 1 small bowl)
1.5 gallon water

Serve size: 4-6 people

Seasoning:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of oyster sauce
A few dashes of white pepper powder (3 dashes for me)
Salt to taste

Condiment:
2 bird’s eye chilies (chopped)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic (optional)

Cooking method:

1. Heat up a pot of water until it boils.
2. Blanch the ribs and loin in another pot with boiling water for few minutes until the scum has come out. This will give you a clear soup.
3. Remove them from the pot and rinse the ribs and pork with cold water.
4. Add the Bak Kut Teh herbs packs, pork ribs, pork loin, garlic, mushrooms and tofu puffs into the first pot. Bring to boil.
5. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours.
6. Add in the seasoning and salt to taste. Boil for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot.