'Bak Kut Teh' is an amazing broth based dish using pork and multiple Chinese herbs. When translated, it brings the meaning of pork bone tea. This recipe is the Hokkien version of Bak Kut Teh which is popular in Klang, Malaysia.
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Bak kut teh means ‘meat bone tea’ in the Chinese Hokkien dialect. To be exact, the term ‘bak’ refers to pork. That is the meat which is originally used in the broth. These days, chicken is also used instead of pork. The dish is made by boiling pork bones and meat in a variety of aromatics and Chinese herbs. The combination of Chinese herbs and aromatics such as star anise, cloves and smoked garlic makes this dish special. Usually, bak kut teh is served with rice, vegetables and you tiao (sometimes known as Chinese churros). Mostly found in Malaysia and Singapore, bak kut teh is now one of the dishes that is well known in the region.
### Differences between Malaysian and Singaporean bak kut teh
There are differences between the Hokkien version of bak kut teh which is commonly found in Malaysia when compared to the Teochew version in terms of colour, level of saltiness and of course the taste.
| Type | Colour | Saltiness | Taste|
| -------- | -------- | -------- | -------- |
| Hokkien (Malaysia) | Dark | Much saltier | Herby|
| Teowchew (Singapore) | Light | Less saltier |Peppery|
### Where to buy Bak kut teh herbs
If you want to make bak kut teh from scratch instead of using pre-packed bak kut teh herbs, this is all the information you will need. Bak kut teh herbs are simply Chinese medicinal herbs which are to be found in most Chinese medicinal halls or Asian grocers around the world. In almost all Asian grocers, you will be able to find almost all the herbs sold in a pack of 10 herbs and usually marketed as ‘Chinese Herbal Soup Mix’, ‘Chinese Tonic Soup’ .
### Basic set of herbs for bak kut teh
In the table below, you will find the names of the ingredients you will need in English and both Chinese characters and pinyin. For a decent pot of bak kut teh, you will need at least 6 types of herbs.
| Herbs Name | Pinyin | Chinese characters|
| -------- | -------- | -------- |
| Foxglove root | Shu di huang | 熟地黄 |
| Chinese angelica root | Dang gui | 當歸 |
| Szechuan lovage | Chuang gong |川芎 |
| Solomon's Seal | Yu zhu | 玉竹 |
| Red dates | Hong zao |红枣 |
| Goji berries | Gou qi zi|枸杞子|
Other additional ingredients which are used in the recipe are the other common herbs used in bak kut teh which will add more flavour and also medicinal benefits to it.
| Herbs Name | Pinyin | Chinese characters|
| -------- | -------- | -------- |
| Dried orange peel| Chen pi | 陈皮 |
| Liquorice root | Gan cao | 甘草 |
| Codonopsis pilosula | Dang shen |黨參 |
| Black dates | Nan zao|正南枣 |
Besides Chinese herbs, aromatics are highly important to release the aroma and flavours commonly known in bak kut teh.
### Duration to boil bak kut teh
In this recipe, it is recommended to boil bak kut teh for four hours. Ff you do not have much time, two hours would be sufficient. Although, the broth will taste much better when boiled for at least four hours.
### Overnight bak kut teh
Bak kut teh tastes better after boiling for 4 hours and allowing to rest overnight. This was a secret tip shared by one of the best restaurants in Klang when asked about their secret to their popular bak kut teh. There is a big difference after allowing the broth to settle and allow the ingredients to release its flavours.
### Separate broth with other ingredients
Usually, bak kut teh is served with vegetables (romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, bok choy) tofu puffs, fried bean curd skin and mushrooms (enoki, shiitake). These ingredients should be added shortly before serving. Also, if the plan is to finish the dish in several meals, these additional ingredients should be cooked with a portion of the broth to not affect the taste of rest of it.
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