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Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Spiced Pork Rib Soup)

Name: Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Spiced Pork Rib Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: For the Herbs and Spices:; 2 1/2 ounces (70g) dried shiitake mushrooms; 1 ounce (30g) dried red dates (hong zao, 红枣); 1 1/2 ounces (40g) dried black dates (nan zao, 南枣); One 2-inch knob peeled fresh ginger (10g); 20 medium cloves garlic (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g), unpeeled; 3/4 ounce (20g) white peppercorns; 1/2 ounce (15g) dried foxglove root (shu di pian, 熟地片); 1/2 ounce (15g) Solomon’s seal (yu zhu, 玉竹); 1/2 ounce (15g) cassia bark (Chinese cinnamon); 1/3 ounce (10g) Chinese angelica root (dong gui, 当归); 1/3 ounce (10g) Szechuan lovage (chuan xiong, 川芎); 1/3 ounce (10g) licorice root (gan cao, 甘草); Two 1-inch pieces codonopsis pilosula (dang shen, 党参); Two 3-inch pieces dried tangerine peel (chen pi, 陈皮); 1 large star anise pod; 2 tablespoons (5g) goji berries (gou qi zi, 枸杞子); 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 4 whole cloves; For the Soup:; 1 pound (454g) pork spare ribs, divided between the bones and cut into 2-inch chunks by the butcher or with a cleaver; 14 ounces (400g) soft-boned meat (cartilaginous cuts called ruan gu rou, 软骨肉, at Chinese markets), sliced into 1-inch cubes, frozen; 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (24ml) Chinese light soy sauce, plus more to taste; 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (24ml) oyster sauce; 2 teaspoons (10ml) Chinese dark soy sauce; 3/4 ounce (20g) cane rock sugar, plus more to taste; 6 Chinese tofu puffs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g); 6 canned button mushrooms (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g); 3 1/2 ounces (100g) enoki mushrooms

Prep Time

20m

Cook Time

Total Time

2h 20m

This Malaysian spiced pork rib soup, known as Bak Kut Teh, is rich with complex layers of flavor from a blend of fragrant herbs and spices. Made with a combination of pork spare ribs, soft-boned meat, and a variety of mushrooms, this aromatic and hearty soup is a satisfying meal on its own.

Bak Kut Teh

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Ingredients

Servings: 6

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2 1/2 ounces (70g) dried shiitake mushrooms

1 ounce (30g) dried red dates (hong zao, 红枣)

1 1/2 ounces (40g) dried black dates (nan zao, 南枣)

One 2-inch knob peeled fresh ginger (10g)

20 medium cloves garlic (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g), unpeeled

3/4 ounce (20g) white peppercorns

1/2 ounce (15g) dried foxglove root (shu di pian, 熟地片)

1/2 ounce (15g) Solomon’s seal (yu zhu, 玉竹)

1/2 ounce (15g) cassia bark (Chinese cinnamon)

1/3 ounce (10g) Chinese angelica root (dong gui, 当归)

1/3 ounce (10g) Szechuan lovage (chuan xiong, 川芎)

1/3 ounce (10g) licorice root (gan cao, 甘草)

Two 1-inch pieces codonopsis pilosula (dang shen, 党参)

Two 3-inch pieces dried tangerine peel (chen pi, 陈皮)

1 large star anise pod

2 tablespoons (5g) goji berries (gou qi zi, 枸杞子)

1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 pound (454g) pork spare ribs, divided between the bones and cut into 2-inch chunks by the butcher or with a cleaver

14 ounces (400g) soft-boned meat (cartilaginous cuts called ruan gu rou, 软骨肉, at Chinese markets), sliced into 1-inch cubes, frozen

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (24ml) Chinese light soy sauce, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (24ml) oyster sauce

2 teaspoons (10ml) Chinese dark soy sauce

3/4 ounce (20g) cane rock sugar, plus more to taste

6 Chinese tofu puffs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g)

6 canned button mushrooms (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g)

3 1/2 ounces (100g) enoki mushrooms

5 ounces (140g) iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into 2-inch pieces

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Cooked white rice drizzled with Chinese cooking caramel, for serving (optional)

Minced garlic and bird's eye chiles stirred into Chinese light soy sauce, for serving (optional)

Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Spiced Pork Rib Soup)

Ingredients

For The Herbs And Spices

For The Soup

Steps

Nutrition Facts

Bak Kut Teh (Malaysian Spiced Pork Rib Soup)

Ingredients

For The Herbs And Spices

For The Soup

Steps

Nutrition Facts Nutrition facts are based on 1 serving. If servings is not specified, 6 is assumed for the total recipe.

Nutrition Facts