Bah Kut Teh Strikes Again!

Lately, I have been extremely fond of Bah Kut Teh. Maybe because it is simple to make and need no cooking experience at all. I have tried many types of BKT herbs from the chinese medical halls to the pre-packed packets on the supermarket shelves. All have their own speciality tastes but so far, I find this one very authentic indeed.

First of all, it consists of 2 packets of dried herbal spice mix and 1 packet of dark colored soya sauce-like substance. Aha! that sauce-like substance it the secret! and it is MSG free. Superb! I really have a distinct dislike towards MSG, just can't stand that stuff. The address on the box says, the 'One Fine Shop' is located at 79, Jalan SS25/32, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Tel : (03) 7729 4771. Please don't get me wrong, they did not pay me to sell their products but I must take a trip there to purchase the BKT soup mix for myself. This is solely for self gratification only.

To cook is so simple, just open the box and put the 2 packet of herbal spice mix (uncut) into 1600ml of boiling water and dunk in 2 bulbs of garlic with the bottom sliced off (for a better aroma and the garlic will not melt into the soup). Simmer for 1/2 hour.

Wash the meat and boil it for 8 minutes in a pot of boiling water (to rid the meat of impurities), I especially like offals but I decided to stay with the spare ribs (500 gms) and a 400 gm piece of pork shoulder (uncut) this time round. Put them in the simmering soup for 1 hour.

At the same time, cut open 1 packet of tofu puffs and cut them into halves, blanche them it boiling water for 5 minutes and dunk them into the simmering soup.

Open 1 can of large button mushrooms, rinse them and put them into the simmering soup about 10 minutes before we put in the special sauce. This sauce is added 5 minutes before the dish is ready to be served. This one pot dish goes very well with steamy hot fluffly rice and some blanched leafy vegetables with garlic oil and a drizzle of light soya sauce.