Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Pork Rib Herbal Soup)
Local name: 肉骨茶
In short: Pork ribs simmered for hours with whole garlic bulbs, shiitake mushrooms and warm herbs and spices into a dark, peppery soup eaten with rice. It takes about 2 h 30 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 h 10 min
- Total
- 2 h 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Bak kut teh means pork bone tea, and it is a Chinese-Malaysian soup of pork ribs simmered with whole heads of garlic and a bundle of warm herbs and spices. The broth is dark, peppery and savory, and strong Chinese tea is served alongside to cut the richness. It is eaten for breakfast and lunch with rice, fried dough sticks and a dip of chilies in soy sauce. Ready-made herb packets from Asian grocers make it easy to cook at home.
Instructions
- Put the ribs in a pot, cover with water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the ribs under cold water and wash the pot.
- Put the herb mix or the spices in a cotton herb bag, a tea infuser or a piece of cheesecloth tied closed.
- Return the ribs to the pot with the 2.5 liters (10 cups) fresh water, the garlic, drained mushrooms and the herb bag. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then lower the heat.
- Simmer, partly covered, for 1 1/2 hours, until the pork is very tender and nearly falling off the bone.
- Stir in the dark and light soy sauces and the tofu puffs. Simmer for 20 minutes and season with the salt. Remove the herb bag.
- Add the choy sum for the last 2 minutes, until just wilted.
- Ladle the soup into bowls with ribs, garlic, mushrooms and tofu. Serve with rice, the chili soy dip and hot Chinese tea.
Tips
- Remove the herb bag after the simmer. Cinnamon and licorice can turn the soup bitter if left in overnight, and reheated leftovers taste better without it.
- The soup improves on day two. Chill it, lift off the solid fat, and reheat gently. Mix in some pork belly with the ribs for extra richness.
Questions and answers
Does bak kut teh contain tea?
No. The soup is a herbal pork broth. The tea in the name refers to the strong Chinese tea served with it, which helps balance the richness of the pork.
What herbs go into bak kut teh?
A mix of warm spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cloves and white pepper, plus root herbs like angelica root and licorice. Ready-made packets are sold at Asian grocers.
Can I use pork belly instead of ribs?
Yes, or use half ribs and half belly. Belly adds richness, so skim the fat off the finished soup. Cook it for the same time so it becomes tender.
How long does it take to make Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Pork Rib Herbal Soup)?
About 2 h 30 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 2 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Pork Rib Herbal Soup)?
About 420 kcal per serving, with 29 g of protein, 17 g of carbohydrates and 27 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 420 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 29 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 1500 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
