Bak Kut Teh

Name: Bak Kut Teh
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 250 g pork ribs; 1 garlic; 5 g dang gui (dried angelica root); 5 g yu zhu (dried solomon's seal); 5 g dried longan; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 star anise; 2 cloves; 1 tsp white peppercorns; 0.5 tsp black peppercorns; 2 dried shiitake mushrooms; 600 ml water; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 5 g rock sugar; salt; 3 fried tofu puffs; 50 g enoki mushrooms; 50 g lettuce; 1 spring onion; 2 bird's eye chillies; 2 tsp light soy sauce; 120 g cooked jasmine rice

The Klang-style Malaysian herbal pork rib soup of Fujian origin: meaty ribs simmered for hours with whole garlic, dang gui and pepper until the broth is dark, peppery and fragrant, served with tofu puffs, enoki, rice and a chilli-soy dip.

Breakfast Lunch & dinner 25g+ protein 8g+ fibre

115 min15 prep · 100 cookMedium892 kcalper serving

Method

Soak 2 dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes until softened, then squeeze them out, trim the stems and keep the soaking water. Rinse 5 g dang gui, 5 g yu zhu and 5 g dried longan briefly in cold water to wash off dust.
Put 250 g pork ribs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. Boil 3 minutes, skimming the grey scum, then drain and rinse the ribs under running water. Wash the pan clean — this is what keeps the broth clear.
Return the ribs to the pan with 1 whole head of garlic, the rinsed dang gui, yu zhu and longan, the 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 cloves, 1 tsp crushed white peppercorns, 0.5 tsp crushed black peppercorns, the soaked shiitake and 600 ml water (use the mushroom soaking liquid as part of it). Tie the small herbs in a muslin bag if you prefer a tidy bowl.
Bring to the boil, then lower to the barest simmer, cover and cook 1 hour 15 minutes, skimming once or twice. The broth should be dark amber and smell strongly of garlic and pepper, and the meat should pull from the bone but still cling to it.