bak kut teh

I have been eating Bak kut teh (pork ribs soup) for so many years (in Malaysia) that I really cannot remember when I started. Once, with a trusty packet of the essential herbs and spices, I even bought pork bones and meat and cooked bak kut teh in Figueres (Catalonia, Northern Spain), when I was there for Christmas.

If we are to trust Wikipedia, then “Bak kut teh is a pork rib dish cooked in broth popularly served in Malaysia and Singapore where there is a predominant Hokkien and Teochew community. The name literally translates from the Hokkien dialect as "meat bone tea", and at its simplest, consists of pork ribs simmered in a broth of herbs and spices for hours.”

Bak but teh can include these ingredients: pork ribs, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang shen/Tong sum (Codonopsis root), Yu zhu/Yok chok (or Solomon;’s seal rhizome), Star anise, cloves, pepper corns, fennel seeds, Chuan xiong (Rhizome Ligustici), Goji or wolf berries, Shu si huang/Lok sok tei (Rehmannia) Dong gui (Angelica Sinensis) dried Chinese mushrooms, Tofu skin knots, Tofu puffs and a whole garlic bulb and rock sugar.

Now back in Malaysia (my spiritual home), I was immediately swamped with offers to dine on bak kut teh, well, actually, two offers, but you must understand that bak but teh is very very filling.

The images here are from the second meal of bak but teh, in Klang Utama (which is very close to the source of what is considered to be the best bak but teh in Malaysia) when I had the opportunity (and permission) to take photos of the process.

There were distinct differences in style of broth between the two restaurants. Honestly, I loved them both.

Another bak kut teh restaurant, under a bridge in the Malaysian town of Klang, lays claim to the origin of this dish, and has made a name for itself in the promotion of the restaurant and the dish. I cannot attest to the validity of that claim, although I have tried, and liked, the bak kut teh, there.

Ed.