Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh

新加坡胡椒肉骨茶

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — finished dish

Total time: 125 min
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Pork ribs simmer slowly with plenty of garlic and cracked white pepper for a clear, boldly peppery Singapore-style bak kut teh.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

1.2 kg pork ribs
2 whole bulbs garlic
20 g ginger
2.5 litres water

Pork blanching

2 litres water (for blanching only, not part of the soup base)

Soup seasoning

2 tbsp white peppercorns
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp salt (add to taste at the end)

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — ingredients

02

Tools

5-litre lidded soup pot
large pot
sieve
chef's knife
cutting board
mortar and pestle
ladle
food thermometer

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — tools

03

Steps

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Cut the pork ribs

Step 1

Cut the pork ribs

Rinse the pork ribs and cut between the bones into roughly 6 cm pieces.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Blanch the ribs

Step 2

Blanch the ribs

Cover ribs with 2 litres water in a large pot, bring to a boil and blanch for 5 minutes.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Rinse the ribs

Step 3

Rinse the ribs

Drain ribs in a sieve and rinse with warm water to remove foam and bone fragments.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Crack the pepper

Step 4

Crack the pepper

Lightly crush white peppercorns in a mortar, keeping coarse pieces rather than powder.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Prepare garlic and ginger

Step 5

Prepare garlic and ginger

Separate garlic into unpeeled cloves and rinse; cut ginger into thick slices.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Boil the soup base

Step 6

Boil the soup base

Add 2.5 litres water, pepper, garlic and ginger to the soup pot and bring to a boil.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Add the pork ribs

Step 7

Add the pork ribs

Add blanched ribs, return to a full boil and skim off the foam.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Simmer the soup

Step 8

Simmer the soup

Reduce to low heat, partly cover and maintain a gentle movement for 75 minutes.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Check tenderness

Step 9

Check tenderness

Rib meat must have no pink, reach at least 71°C and pierce easily with a chopstick.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Add the soy sauces

Step 10

Add the soy sauces

Add light and dark soy sauces, stir gently and simmer for 10 minutes.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Taste and skim

Step 11

Taste and skim

Skim excess surface fat, taste and add salt only as needed.

Singapore Pepper Bak Kut Teh — Serve the soup

Step 12

Serve the soup

Ladle ribs, whole garlic cloves and hot pepper broth into bowls, warning diners that it is very hot.

Common mistakes

Skipping blanching and rinsing makes the broth cloudy.
Grinding pepper into fine powder makes the soup gritty and harsh.
A hard boil evaporates too much liquid and clouds the broth.
Salting early can make the reduced soup too salty.

Tips

Crack rather than powder the pepper for a cleaner heat; if the water level drops markedly, add only boiling water and adjust salt at the end.