Saturday, December 28, 2024

Easy Instant Bak Kut Teh Recipe

A bowl of soup made with pork belly, Chinese herbs, soy sauce, garlic, and water, garnished with fresh coriander leaves.
Bak Kut Teh - some call it pork ribs soup, others refer to it as pork bone tea, and for people like Ms. Nava, it's Chinese Herbal Pork Soup (VEGETARIAN BAK KUT TEH RECIPE). Making bak kut teh at home, especially the easy instant version, is quite different from the ones served in Chinese restaurants or stalls. They often have secret ingredients that elevate the flavor, and they cook it for hours using large pork chunks.

At home, we typically slice the pork into smaller pieces, and you can choose your preferred pork cut. Personally, I love pork belly - it cooks quickly, and the pork fat is said to be a source of collagen, which is great for anti-aging.

Easy instant bak kut teh is a breeze to make (CHINESE RICE CONGEE RECIPES). For added aroma, you can enhance it with coriander leaves, and there’s no limit to the variety of vegetables you can include. I’m a fan of all things tofu and veggies. 


I’ve made bak kut teh countless times, and sometimes I prepare it with just pork, pairing it with a no-cook Chinese crunchy salad like Yau Mak (Chinese lettuce) with oyster sauce, crispy shallots, and julienned ginger - a recipe I’ll share too.


So, where do we start with this easy instant bak kut teh? It begins with a packet of store-bought bak kut teh soup herbs and spices - there are plenty of choices available. 

Readymade store-bought packet of Chinese herbs and spices for making Chinese herbal pork soup.

Bak Kut Teh

Ingredients (adjust quantities to taste)

1 sachet bak kut teh herbs

½ kg pork belly (washed thoroughly; cook whole and slice after, or slice before cooking)

1 whole garlic (trim quarter of the head) 

3 liters water

Soy sauce - as needed

Salt - as needed

A whole garlic with a quarter of the top trimmed.

Method

In a pot, combine garlic, bak kut teh sachet, and water.

Simmer over very low heat for about 20 minutes.

Add pork and continue simmering until the pork is soft and tender.

Pour in soy sauce, and add salt if needed. Stir well and switch off the heat.

A sachet of Chinese herbs and spices, one whole garlic, pork belly pieces, soy sauce, water, and salt in a pot.

Close view of a soup made with Chinese herbs, pork belly pieces, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and water in a bowl.

Yau Mak (Chinese Lettuce) with Oyster Sauce

Ingredients (as needed)

Chinese lettuce (separate leaves and rinse)

Oyster sauce

Fried shallots in oil

Julienne ginger

Salt  -  if needed

Close view of a bunch of Chinese lettuce leaves in a white bowl.

A plastic round container of sliced crispy fried shallots in oil.

Method

Quickly blanch the lettuce in hot water.

Drain and arrange the lettuce on a plate.

Drizzle with oyster sauce, and top with fried shallots (with oil) and julienned ginger.

Sprinkle salt, if needed.

A beige plate of blanched Chinese lettuce, topped with oyster sauce, julienned ginger, and crispy shallots in oil.

For the Rice

On cooked rice, sprinkle crispy fried shallots in oil and sliced spring onions.

Pair your bak kut teh with yau mak, with a spicy dip or even sambal belacan.

Dark brown soup made with Chinese herbs, pork belly, soy sauce, garlic and water, paired with rice, atop by crispy shallots and sliced spring onion.

 
(Ms. Nava, a Zen entrepreneur in her 60s, founded Nava's Zen at 58. With over 22 years of experience as a former lecturer, including with Curtin University’s Degree Twinning Program, she also holds culinary credentials. Through her Zen cuisine, she promotes mindful eating that nourishes the breath, body, mind, and soul).

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Easy Instant Bak Kut Teh Recipe

Bak Kut Teh - some call it pork ribs soup, others refer to it as pork bone tea, and for people like Ms. Nava, it's Chinese Herbal Pork S...