Bak Kut Teh
Contains soy · usually contains gluten · sometimes contains dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, sesame, shellfish, fish — check the label
Restrictions
ContainssoyIt is in an ingredient you cannot leave out.
Usually containsgluten (soy sauce → Tamari)The usual version has it. One without it exists — it is the one named here.
Sometimes contains — check the labeldairy (clove spice, soy sauce dark) · egg (clove spice, soy sauce dark) · peanut (clove spice, soy sauce dark) · tree nut (clove spice, soy sauce dark) · sesame (clove spice, soy sauce dark) · shellfish (clove spice, soy sauce dark) · fish (clove spice, soy sauce dark)Some brands have it, some do not. The recipe cannot tell, so this is the one you check yourself.
Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.
Ingredients
| 3 lb | pork ribs (cut into individual ribs) |
| 1 unit | whole garlic bulb (cloves separated, skins left on) |
| 1 oz | dang gui / Chinese angelica root |
| 2 unit | star anise |
| 1 unit | cinnamon stick |
| 1 tsp | fennel seeds |
| 4 unit | whole cloves |
| 1 tsp | white peppercorns |
| 3 tbsp | light soy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | dark soy sauce |
| 2 l | water |
| ½ tsp | salt |
Steps
- boil8 minribs briefly blanched; gray scum released into first waterCover the ribs with fresh water, bring to a boil for several minutes, then drain and rinse both ribs and pot. This first boil removes loose proteins and blood that would otherwise cloud and muddy a long herbal broth.
- toast3 minwarm spices fragrant but not darkened or smokingToast the star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves and white pepper very briefly in the dry cleaned pot. Gentle heat wakes the aromatic oils; scorching even one spice can make a two-hour broth persistently bitter.
- simmer90 minbare simmer; ribs increasingly tender; broth aromatic and clear rather than violently cloudyAdd the ribs, garlic, dang gui and fresh water and bring only to a bare simmer. Cook gently, skimming early foam if needed. Vigorous boiling emulsifies fat and particles into the broth, while slow extraction keeps the herbal character clearer and more controlled.
- season3 minsoy added after broth has developed; salt level restrainedAdd the light and dark soy sauces after the ribs have begun to tenderize. Seasoning later makes it easier to judge concentration because a long simmer can turn an initially correct salt level harsh.
- simmer35 minmeat tender enough to pull easily from bone but ribs still intactContinue at a very gentle simmer until the pork is fully tender. Stop before the ribs disintegrate into the broth; bak kut teh should deliver intact pieces of meat in a deeply extracted soup, not shredded pork stew.
- rest6 minsurface fat settled enough to skim selectively; broth still piping hotLet the pot settle briefly and skim only excessive surface fat, leaving enough to carry the spice aromas. Taste once more for salt and serve hot; stripping every trace of pork fat makes the herbal broth feel thin and disconnected.