“Bak Kut Teh” is a meaty pork ribs dish cooked in a herbal broth. It is a popular Malaysian Chinese hawker fare and synonymous with Klang. This is the the RECIPE for the dry version, Klang Dry Bak Kut Teh. You can easily cook it at home for your family’s enjoyment. The gravy has plenty of flavor from the dried cuttlefish, dried shrimps, dried chillies and bak kut teh seasoning. The meat is cooked till tender and flavorful from herbal concentrate and when stir-fried with garlic, onion and okra, the combination results in a delicious dish.

Recipe by Mama Ding

Total Time | 1 hr 20 mins

Prep Time | 30 mins

Cook Time | 50 mins

Servings : 4 - 6

Ingredients

1.5 kg (3.3 lb) pork ribs - cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
1 pack herbal bak kut teh spice
8 shiitake mushrooms, soaked till soft [reserve 1 cup mushroom soaking water]
1 bulb garlic
1 1bsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1 1/2 cup water or liquid from soaking mushrooms
To saute~
2 tbsp cooking oil
8 pieces dried chili
20 g (2 tbsp) dried shrimps, soaked 15 mins and drained
20 g (1 piece) dried cuttlefish, soaked 15 mins then remove membrane and cut small
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
15 okra (lady’s fingers), cut each into 3 pieces at an angle
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar or to taste
1/4 cup broth from cooking pork ribs
For garnish~
1 stalk spring onion, chopped (optional)
1 stalk Chinese parsley/cilantro, chopped (optional)

Method

01 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pork ribs and boil for 5 minutes. Discard water and rinse pork ribs with clean running water.

02 Place the blanched pork ribs, bak kut teh spice pack, mushrooms, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper and water or the mushroom soaking liquid into a pressure cooker. Make sure the spice pack is submerged in water.

Pressure cook for 10 mins. Allow to depressurerize then remove and discard the bak kut teh spice pack and garlic bulb. Set aside the cooked pork ribs and mushrooms plus the cooked liquid for saute.

[If you are not using the pressure cooker:

In a large pot, place the blanched pork ribs with the bak kut teh spice pack, mushrooms, garlic, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper and water/mushroom soaking liquid. Boil for 35 - 40 mins or until pork ribs are tender.]

03 Heat cooking oil in a wok/pot. When oil is hot, add the dried shrimps and dried cuttlefish. Saute till fragrant, about 5 mins.

Add onion, garlic, dried chillies and continue to stir fry for 3 mins.

Add the okra and saute till okra softened, about 3 to 4 mins.

04 Add the pork ribs and mushrooms to the wok/pot then add oyster sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir to mix well. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from cooking the ribs from step 02. Let it cook for another minute.

If you want a drier version, reduce to 3 or 4 tablespoons. Stir to mix well.

Add sugar and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. It should be savory with hint of sweetness and umami.

05 Turn off the heat. Dish up and garnish with chopped spring onions and Chinese parsley leaves, if using. Serve immediately with hot steamed rice. Serve with a dipping sauce of some chopped chillies with finely chopped garlic in light soy sauce.

Notes

If you are cooking for young children, you can omit the dried chillies.

If you wish to add organ meat like intestines, stomach/maw or kidney, slice and blanch in boiling water before adding to the saute at step 03. Add them in after adding the okra.

You can also cook this dish with chicken meat instead of pork ribs. Adjust cooking time accordingly.