Bak kut teh recipe

Singapore's Teochew version: a clear pork rib broth built on cracked white peppercorns and whole heads of garlic, with no medicinal herbs at all.

2 hours and 10 minuteseasy10 ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp white peppercorns
• 1000 g pork ribs
• 20 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 10 g rock sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 youtiao
• 100 g salted mustard greens
• 300 g rice

How to make Bak kut teh

1. Blanch 1 kg of meaty pork ribs in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse off every trace of scum. This is what keeps the soup clear.
2. Crack 2 tablespoons of white peppercorns coarsely and toast them in a dry pan for 1 minute, then tie them in a muslin bag.
3. Put the ribs, the pepper bag and 2 whole unpeeled heads of garlic, about 20 cloves, into 2.5 litres of water. No angelica root, no star anise, no cinnamon: that herbal mix is the Klang Hokkien version, not this one.
4. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer very gently for 1 hour 30 to 2 hours until the meat pulls away from the bone.
5. Season with 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce, 10 g of rock sugar and 2 teaspoons of salt. It should leave a clear peppery burn at the back of the throat.
6. Rinse and soak 100 g of salted mustard greens for 10 minutes, then add them for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
7. Toast 2 youtiao and cut them into 3 cm lengths.
8. Serve the ribs in bowls of broth with rice, the youtiao for dipping, a saucer of dark soy with sliced chilli padi, and strong Chinese tea.

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