Singapore-style Teochew Bak Kut Teh

August was especially hard to get by last year. It was the time when we lost the patriarch of the family -- my grandfather, my ah gong. He was good-natured, affable, easygoing, gregarious but fiercely independent as an old man. All my years, I've never seen him in a temper, mostly chillaxing with a beer or kopi-o in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth. He was slightly foul-mouthed but usually for hilarious reasons when he did curse. To top it off, he was an accomplished cook. You may think I'm exaggerating but there's no one whom I know that doesn't like him.

Ah gong is of Teochew descent and can be a purist at times, especially when it comes to cooking. Before his health deteriorated, he insisted on cooking meals to feed our huge extended family during every major festive celebrations and birthdays. This bak kut teh is a staple; we grew up on it. I don't think we can ever forget its taste. 

However, I don't recall him preparing bak kut teh just by itself. He had always cooked it with pig's stomach which essentially made the dish into pig's stomach soup... or so I thought. Turns out offals and some other ingredients were sometimes added to the fragrant pork broth. Over the years, we've pretty much separated everything into "individual soups" with the exception of mixed pig's organ soup, but you might still get offals, tau pok (dried tofu), mushrooms and what-nots in a Malaysian Hokkien bak kut teh.

Teochew Bak Kut Teh (serves 4)
(Please credit if you've enjoyed it. Thank you!)

2.5 litres water
1 kg pork ribs
3 heads of garlic, separated
2 tbsp white peppercorns, lightly crushed and toasted
salt to taste

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, and scald the pork ribs for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse briefly. 

2. Bring the 2.5 litres of water to boil, add the garlic, white peppercorn and pork ribs.

3. Bring it back to boil, season with salt and simmer for at least 1 hour. 

4. Serve hot with steamed rice/ you char kway (Chinese fried dough fritter) and chilli padi in dark soya sauce. 

Thoughts: Despite preparing this couple of times, somehow I feel there's something missing in the soup, maybe I didn't listen carefully when ah gong was teaching me or maybe I forgot something because it just doesn't taste the same. I don't remember him adding anything else. Well, except he did like to add canned button mushrooms (for the kids), in which case I would devour most of them first before others can get to it (opps!). Maybe I can never cook this or other dishes as well as he did, simply because it wasn't him behind the stove. I remember its taste but I can't do an exact replica, this is as close as it gets. 

Yet this is a simple, delicious pork broth of garlic and white peppercorns, though some people may add Chinese herbs like angelica sinensis (当归) and/or wolfberries/goji berries (枸杞子). For the ribs, any part is acceptable depending on your preference. I use a mix of spare ribs and baby back ribs whenever possible. Might not be the most authentic, but I have to satisfy the carnivore in me. 

I won't touch on the history nor the variations of bak kut teh in this post. Many have that covered, argued about the origin and about which is the "better" version. Why can't we just agree that each country/dialect came up with their respective version? Perhaps "modified" it like so many bloggers do nowadays and pass off as theirs or more likely, adjusted the recipe purely to suit their tastes. It's not uncommon knowledge that hokkiens have a liking for stronger-tasting food while teochews prefer lighter dishes.

But seriously, I couldn't care less, I respect and enjoy both versions. This is a dish with humble beginnings, created out of pragmatism to feed the pioneers who helped build the country. Available across our little island and easy to prepare at home; it had warmed our hearts and tummies throughout the years and will continue to do so for many more to come.

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