Bak Kut Teh or pork ribs soup is a popular Chinese dish in Singapore. A lot of guests on our tour ask about it. The dish consists of pork ribs stewed with a mixture of fragrant herbs and spices. These include garlic, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds and coriander. It’s a perfect type of food for cold weather which in Singapore we never have.
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Bak Kut Teh is believed to originate from China’s Fujian province. Hokkien immigrants first introduced Singapore to this dish back in the 19th century. The local workers at the time said that the best time to eat this dish was breakfast. Although now in Singapore it is more a lunch or dinner dish.
Like most Chinese food in Singapore, this dish has three traditional variants. Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese versions.
How different are these versions and which is the best?
Hokkien people prefer the soups that are robust. Their strand of bak kut teh is a strongly scented, thick and cloudy soup. It has been boiled with rock sugar and a wide variety of herbs. Often, their dark brown soup is due to the use of dark soy sauce. A hearty food.
Teochew people seasoned their soup with garlic, soy sauce and pepper. The soup is simmered and skimmed. Their soup is typically clear in appearance and light in taste.
Cantonese people are normally fond of herbals. Their version is typically less salty with strong herbal taste. In most cases, they add ingredients like mushrooms, Chinese cabbage and dried tofu.
The best Bak Kut Teh is typically eaten with steamed white rice. You tiao (dough fritters) are also a favourite. Offal, preserved vegetables and braised beancurd skin are great side dishes. On our private food tour we like to eat bak kut teh with Chinese tea.
The best bak kut teh stalls can be found in the central business district. And also in the areas around Balestier and Geylang Road. Ask about our private Balestier tour where we also visit the Malay hollywood.
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