Hokkien- and Teochew-speaking areas of Malaysia, Singapore
Associated cuisine
Malaysia, Singapore
Main ingredients
pork ribs, complex broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic)
Variations
Hokkien and Teochew
Media: Bak kut teh
Bak kut teh
Chinese
肉骨茶
Hokkien POJ
Bah-kut-tê
Literal meaning
meat bone tea
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Ròugǔchá
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping
juk6 gwat1 caa4
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ
Bah-kut-tê
Bak kut teh (also spelt bah kut teh and abbreviated BKT; Chinese: 肉骨茶; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bah-kut-tê, Teochew Pe̍h-uē-jī: nêg8-gug4-dê5) is a pork rib dish cooked in broth popularly served in Malaysia and Singapore where there is a predominant Hoklo and Teochew community.
The name literally translates from the Hokkien dialect as "meat bone tea", and it usually consists of pork ribs simmered in a broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dong quai, fennel seeds and garlic) for hours. However, it can also be made with seafood, chicken and other meat.[7][8] Despite its name, there is in fact no tea in the dish itself; the name refers to a strong oolong Chinese tea which is usually served alongside the soup in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this dish.
Additional ingredients may include offal, varieties of mushroom, choy sum, and pieces of dried tofu or fried tofu puffs. Additional Chinese herbs may include yu zhu (玉竹, rhizome of Solomon's seal) and ju zhi (buckthorn fruit), which give the soup a sweeter, slightly stronger flavor. Light and dark soy sauce are also added to the soup during cooking, with varying amounts depending on the variant – the Teochew's version is lighter than the Hokkiens'. The dish can be garnished with chopped coriander or green onions and a sprinkling of fried shallots.
In Malaysia, it is often served with strips of fried dough called you char kway (Chinese: 油炸鬼/粿). Soy sauce (usually dark soy sauce, but light soy sauce is also offered sometimes) is preferred as a condiment, with which chopped chilli padi (Bird's eyes chili) and minced garlic is taken together. Tea of various kinds, for example the Tieguanyin (鐵觀音, 铁观音) variety which is popular in the Klang Valley area of Malaysia, is also usually served in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this dish.
In Singapore, similarly the Teochew variant dish is served with a side of youtiao cut into small pieces, meant to be dipped into the soup of the dish before consumption. Braised pig trotters are also an option that can be ordered as a side together with the dish and dark soy sauce with chilli padi is preferred as a condiment. Tea, prepared in a kung fu tea ceremony is also served in restaurants specialising in the dish.
Bak kut teh is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch. The Hokkien and Teochew are traditionally tea-drinking cultures and this aspect runs deep in their cuisines.
^Damien Lim. "Bak kut teh". National Library Board of Singapore.
^WANI MUTHIAH. "The man who put Teh in bak kut teh". TheStar newspaper.
^Yoshino, Kosaku (2010). "Malaysian Cuisine: A Case of Neglected Culinary Globalization" (PDF). Globalization, Food and Social Identities in the Asia Pacific Region. Tokyo: Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture: 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
^Chua Lam (5 April 2011). chua lam's gourmet journey in Malaysia(PDF). G.F. Publishing(M) Pte Ltd. p. 26. ISBN 9789675381119.
^Cite error: The named reference Singapore Hawker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Singapore and Malaysia have claimed these 4 dishes. We get to the bottom of the food fights - CNA". Channel News Asia. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
^Vivian (20 October 2006). "BAK KUT TEH". Retrieved 2 April 2021.
^Grêlé D, Raimbault L, Chng N. Discover Singapore on Foot. Select Publishing, 2007. page 158.
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sweet chili sauce or coconut and egg jam called kaya, or served with bakkutteh (肉骨茶), porridge or rice congee, sliced thinly to be dipped into the broth...
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