What is Bak Kut Teh?

Hong Kong gourmet Chua Lam said that when he was abroad, what he missed most was Bak Kut Teh.

When you think of Singaporean cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is Bak Kut Teh. When talking about "Bak Kut Teh", many people may mistakenly think it is the name of a tea. In fact, this "tea" is not the other "tea". This is a pork rib herbal soup that is well-known in Singapore.

The production method is very simple. The "meat bones" are made from pig ribs, chopped into single bone segments about one finger long, boiled in water and then supercooled to remove surface impurities. Then, take some garlic meat with its "coat" removed, fry it until golden brown, then boil it in water to remove the oil, add some medicinal materials such as yam, wolfberry, longan, etc., then add tangerine peel, white pepper, licorice, star anise, etc. spices, then put all the ingredients into the pot, add water and simmer for about 3-4 hours, add salt and other seasonings, and it will become a very exotic "Bak Kut Teh". It is usually paired with a dish of "chili padi soy sauce" for dipping the ribs or seasoning the soup. Those who don't like spicy food can also use ordinary soy sauce.

Experience the delicious food

Just a few days before going to Singapore, I stopped in Malaysia and ate meat on Alor Street, a Kuala Lumpur food street highly recommended by Chua Lam. Bone tea. Comparing the two, I feel that the bak kut teh in Singapore tastes even more amazing. I think it may be because the bak kut teh restaurant my friend took us to is the most famous one in Singapore - the "Promoter Bak Kut Teh Restaurant". When I walked into this restaurant, I saw that the furnishings were extremely ordinary, even shabby, but the tables were full and every seat was occupied. Looking at the walls on both sides, they are covered with photos of the shop owner (an old man named Cai Shuifa, who had been working in the kitchen with his back bent while we were eating) and the celebrities who visit here; one of the number of celebrities who "come to give guidance" There are so many that it’s hard to count them all. Among them are deceased “big names” in the entertainment industry, as well as emerging idols such as S.H.E. and Wilber Pan. According to a friend in Singapore, there was once a tourist who was new to Singapore and didn’t know the famous Bak Kut Teh. When her friend took her to this inconspicuous restaurant, she was shocked when she saw the name of the restaurant because she pronounced the name It became "initiating 'human flesh' bone tea".

After listening to this little interlude at the dinner table, the hot Bak Kut Teh was served. I saw an ordinary porcelain bowl with three white and tender ribs inside. The beer-colored soup was steaming with steam - no bright color, only a tangy fragrance. I took a sip of the soup first. It was delicious, with the refreshing taste of medicinal herbs, and a hint of pepper. It is said that this is the characteristic of the "initiator". I suddenly felt a warm current passing through my spleen and stomach, which was indescribably comfortable. And this delicious soup is refillable for free. A friend said that he once brought a tourist from Chongqing to try the bak kut teh here. As a result, the Chongqing tourist fell in love with the bak kut teh soup and drank six or seven bowls in a row until he was sweating profusely. In fact, when I was drinking the soup, I had already examined the meat and bones several times. From the experience of a meat-loving person like me, the tender pink color must contain a super fresh and tender taste. After trying it, my previous imagination was indeed verified; coupled with the slightly spicy soy sauce, this taste is really rare in the world. The most popular side dish of Bak Kut Teh is actually a plate of cold fried dough sticks, which has a unique flavor when dipped in the hot Bak Kut Teh soup.

The derivative dishes are also excellent

In order for me, who was visiting Singapore for the first time, to have a more comprehensive understanding of the delicacy of Bak Kut Teh, a local friend specially ordered two more varieties of Bak Kut Teh. Derivative products - pork liver and pork loin cooked in the same soup. Needless to say, the pork liver is tender because it is cooked in boiling hot water, but what I would like to recommend most is the pork loin. I have eaten pork loin with different flavors in many restaurants in China. Either the pork loin is processed to look like a synthetic one in order to avoid the fishy smell, or the original flavor and the strange smell are retained. But the pork loin here is different. When you bite into it, the gap between your teeth is immediately filled with delicious gravy, and there is no strange taste at all. I really don’t know how the owner Lao Cai cooks it. A few thin slices of pork loin were wiped out by us in an instant, and we could only order one more.

Eating Bak Kut Teh is a very hot thing, so a cold drink is essential. I highly recommend barley juice. It is light, cool, sweet and pleasant, and I am sure you will want to drink it again.

The driver who drove us to the restaurant was well versed in local cuisine. He said that Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore can be eaten every day and every meal, but bak kut teh can only be eaten once a week. He didn't explain specifically why, but I felt it at night. Because I had such a delicious Bak Kut Teh meal at noon, and even reordered the dishes several times, I couldn’t eat dinner at all.

I heard from friends that the "Promoter" is not the best bak kut teh in Singapore, but it is more famous. On the same street, about a few hundred meters away, there is a "Morning Market Bak Kut Teh", which is said to taste even more exquisite. But a friend also said that the owner of the "Morning Market" is a very personable person. When he is in a good mood, the taste of Bak Kut Teh is nothing to say, but when he is in a bad mood, the taste of Bak Kut Teh is terrifying. Feeling my full belly, I thought I would try it again next time I have the opportunity. I hope the shop owner will be in a good mood then.