Bak Kut Teh
A pork rib soup with genuinely contested, shared origin between Singapore and Klang, Malaysia — brought by Hokkien Chinese immigrants in the 19th century as a nourishing meal for dockworkers, with Malaysia's own tourism ministry claiming a 1930s-40s Klang invention that most food historians still treat as unresolved rather than settled. Two real regional styles exist: Singapore's dominant Teochew style is lighter, built on white pepper and garlic with no herbs or dark soy, while Malaysia's Hokkien/Klang style is dark, heavily herbal, and soy-based. Despite the name meaning 'meat bone tea,' the dish itself contains no tea — tea is drunk alongside to cut the richness, a real ritual worth keeping.
⚠ Contains: Soy, Gluten. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg pork ribs
- 2 whole heads garlic
- 2 tbsp white peppercorns
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 packet bak kut teh spice mix (dang gui, wolfberries, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, fennel)
- 1 tbsp rock sugar
- 200g shiitake mushrooms
- 8 tofu puffs
Steps
- Blanch the ribs to remove scum.
- Simmer the ribs with the whole garlic, spice packet, dark and light soy sauce, white pepper, and rock sugar for 1.5-2 hours until tender.
- Add the tofu puffs and mushrooms near the end.
- Serve with rice, fried dough, and Chinese tea.