Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Bak Kut Teh (Herbal Klang Style)

A hearty Singapore-style Bak Kut Teh (Herbal Klang Style) — pork ribs slow-simmered in a dark, aromatic herbal broth for a comforting, hawker-style soup.

Bak Kut Teh (Herbal Klang Style)

About this dish

Bak Kut Teh needs little introduction in Singapore — whether served in kopitiams at breakfast, as a family-style dinner in the heartlands, or during a late-night supper run near East Coast or Geylang. This Klang-style version leans on darker soy and bold herbal spices (angelica, cinnamon, star anise) to create a richer, savoury broth that Singaporeans reach for when they want a warming, restorative meal. It’s the sort of dish you’ll find served steaming in claypots at zi char stalls and hawker centres, garnished simply with chopped spring onions and paired with plain steamed rice and youtiao.

Flavour-wise, Klang-style Bak Kut Teh is more robust than the peppery Teochew variant — expect a deep brown, slightly sweet-savoury soup with heady aromatics of garlic and dried Chinese herbs, layers of star anise and cinnamon, and tender, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs. Texture is everything: gelatinous collagen in the broth from slow-simmered ribs, soft tofu puffs soaked in the soup, and bite from shiitake or straw mushrooms. At home in Singapore, busy parents, weekend cooks and small family gatherings will love how the pot fills the kitchen with comforting, herbal steam.

Local twists you might see in Singapore: adding firm tofu puffs (tau pok) or mushrooms for texture, a splash of dark soy for deeper colour, and a side of chopped red chillies in light soy for that classic kopitiam dip. If short on time, pressure cookers are common in Singapore homes (NTUC and Cold Storage sell good herb sachets), but nothing beats slow simmering in a heavy pot or claypot for that authentic hawker-style depth of flavour.

Ingredients

  • 800 g pork spare ribs (cut into 5–6 cm pieces)
  • 200 g pork belly or pork collar (optional, for extra richness)
  • 2.0–2.5 L water
  • 1 pre-mixed Klang-style herbal sachet (about 30–40 g) containing angelica (dang gui), codonopsis, cinnamon bark, star anise, fennel, cloves — available at NTUC/Cold Storage or Chinese medical halls
  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated and lightly smashed (no need to peel)
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (for colour)
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or Chinese cooking wine (optional)
  • 1 tsp rock sugar or 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground white pepper, plus extra to taste
  • 1 tsp sea salt (adjust later)
  • 6–8 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and halved (optional)
  • 6 pieces tau pok / tofu puffs (optional)
  • 100 g dried beancurd skin rolls (fu zhu) or firm tofu, optional
  • 2–3 stalks spring onion, sliced (for garnish)
  • 1 small bunch coriander (cilantro), optional garnish
  • Fresh red chillies, sliced (serve with light soy for dipping)
  • Youtiao (Chinese fried dough) or steamed white rice, to serve
  • 1–2 kaffir lime leaves (optional, local twist)
  • 1 tbsp fried shallots (optional, for garnish)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. 1. Prepare the pork: Rinse the pork ribs (and pork belly if using) and blanch in a pot of boiling water for 2–3 minutes to remove impurities. Drain, rinse under running water and set aside. This step gives a clearer broth, like you'd expect at a good kopitiam.
  2. 2. Make the stock: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or claypot, add 2.0–2.5 L fresh water and the pre-mixed Klang-style herbal sachet. Bring to a boil over high heat to bloom the herbs for 5 minutes.
  3. 3. Add aromatics and pork: Drop the smashed garlic cloves and blanched pork pieces into the boiling herbal water. Return to a simmer, then lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface in the first 10–15 minutes.
  4. 4. Simmer long and slow: Partially cover and simmer on low for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (longer if you want fall-off-the-bone ribs). The broth should deepen in colour and aroma; taste the pork texture for tenderness — meat should be soft but not shredding apart.
  5. 5. Season and colour: About 20 minutes before finishing, add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (if using), rock sugar and 1 tsp ground white pepper. Taste and adjust — add more light soy for saltiness or a pinch more sugar to balance bitterness from herbs. Add salt only at the end so it doesn’t over-concentrate.
  6. 6. Add sides and finish: In the last 10–15 minutes, add rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and tofu puffs so they soak up the soup. If using beancurd skin, add now so it softens without falling apart. Finish with a grind of white pepper to lift flavour.
  7. 7. Serve family-style: Transfer to a claypot or large serving bowl, garnish with sliced spring onion and fried shallots or coriander. Serve immediately with steamed white rice or youtiao and a small dish of sliced red chillies in light soy for dipping, plus a pot of Chinese tea.
  8. 8. Leftovers and reheating: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on low with a splash of water; avoid boiling rapidly to preserve the pork texture and herbal aroma.
  9. 9. Pressure cooker shortcut (optional): If using an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 35–40 minutes then natural release for 15 minutes. Finish by removing the herbs, adjusting seasoning and simmering briefly with mushrooms and tofu puffs.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy a ready-made Klang-style herbal sachet from NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or Chinatown Chinese medical halls for an authentic blend — or assemble with star anise, cinnamon, dang gui and codonopsis.
  • Blanch the ribs first and skim the pot during the first 15 minutes to keep the broth clear like hawker stalls.
  • If short on time, use a pressure cooker/Instant Pot for 35–40 minutes high pressure; slow simmering in a claypot produces the best mouthfeel and depth.
  • Adjust seasoning at the end — dark soy for colour, light soy for salt, and a little rock sugar to balance bitterness from the herbs as you would at a zi char stall.
  • Serve with hot Chinese tea (Pu-erh or Oolong) to help cut through the richness, and provide small bowls of sliced red chilli in light soy so diners can customise heat.
  • Leftovers taste even richer the next day — reheat gently and add a splash of water if the broth has reduced.
  • For a leaner version, use fewer fatty cuts and add more shiitake or bamboo shoots for texture while keeping the same simmer time.

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