Bak Kut Teh is the most popular food among Malaysian Chinese.

Bak Kut Teh in the Hokkien or Fujianese dialect literally translates to Pork Rib Tea. This rich herbal soup contains a variety of plant medicine which include dong gui (Angelica Sinensis), known for its warming properties.

Photo source: Roti n Rice
Those are Chinese herbal medicine being used as Bak Kut Teh ingredients. Thus, it is a type of healthy cuisine.

  
Photo source: cook1cook

Thinking of enjoying warm and aromatic soup on a cold day as Bak Kut Teh? Why don't you cook for it by just going a few simple steps? Trust me, it is not as complicated as you think!

  
Photo source: 定好肉骨茶

Ingredients:

10 cups water (2.5 liters)

1 packet Bak Kut Teh herbs (rinsed and drained)

3 slices Angelica Sinensis / Dong Gui (rinsed and drained)

12 Chinese mushrooms/shitake mushrooms (soaked, rinsed, and stalks removed)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 bulb garlic (separated but not peeled)

2 lbs baby back ribs or pork ribs, cut into bite-size pieces (900g)

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 piece of rock sugar (10g)

Salt to taste

12 small tofu puffs (cut into halves)

24 pieces tofu skin knots (rinsed, soaked for 20 minutes, drained) (optional)

¼ cup goji berries (rinsed and soaked for 10 minutes, drained (30g) (optional)

Looks very nutritious and mouth-watering right?

Steps:

1. Bring water in a large pot to a boil.

2. Place all bak kut teh herbs, except for spice sachet, Solomon’s seal rhizome (yok chok), and red or black dates in a muslin filter bag. Dong gui should also be placed in the muslin filter bag.

3. When water comes to a boil, place muslin bag, spice sachet, yok chok, dates, and mushrooms in the water.

4. Heat vegetable oil in a large fry pan. Add garlic and pork ribs. Sear ribs for about 3 minutes. Stir in dark soy sauce. Turn off heat and transfer pork ribs and garlic to a huge pot.

5. Add rock sugar. When the liquid comes back to a boil, season with salt. Reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer for about 1½ hours.

6. Add tofu puffs, tofu skin knots, and goji berries. Simmer for another 30 minutes.

7. Discard muslin filter bag and spice sachet.

Tips: You may put those herbal medicines into hot water first. Then, add pork ribs into pots to increase the savory of soup. 

Preparation time: 15minutes 

Cooking time: 2 hours

Serve with steamed rice, yew char kway and cut chilies in soy sauce. The darker the herbal soup, the more nutritious it is!

Let us make Bah Kut Teh!

Cover photo: Bak Kut Teh from Klang

Recipe source: rotinrice