Bak Kut Teh

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg meaty pork ribs, cut into 5 cm lengths
• 300 g pork belly, cut into 3 cm chunks
• 2 whole garlic bulbs, unpeeled, tops trimmed
• 15 g dang gui (angelica root)
• 10 g yu zhu (Solomon's seal rhizome)
• 8 g chuan xiong (lovage root)
• 10 g dried goji berries
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp white peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 2.5 litres water
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp rock sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 pieces fried beancurd puff (tau pok), halved
• 200 g fresh oyster or enoki mushrooms
• 1 head lettuce, leaves separated
• 2 sticks youtiao, cut into 3 cm lengths, to serve
• steamed jasmine rice, to serve
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, for the dip
• 4 bird's eye chillies, sliced, for the dip
• 3 garlic cloves, minced, for the dip

Before you cook

• Cut the pork ribs into 5 cm lengths and rinse them under cold running water until the water runs clear.
• Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then squeeze them dry and keep the soaking liquid.
• Trim the tops off the garlic bulbs but leave every scrap of skin on.
• Tie the dang gui, yu zhu, chuan xiong, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and crushed peppercorns into a square of muslin.
• Stir the dark soy sauce, sliced chillies and minced garlic together in a small bowl to make the dipping sauce.

Steps

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
2. Drop the pork ribs and pork belly into the boiling water and blanch them for three minutes, until grey scum rises to the surface.
3. Drain the pork into a colander and rinse it under cold running water to wash off the scum.
4. Wipe out the pot, return the pork to it, and pour in two and a half litres of fresh cold water.
5. Add the muslin spice bundle, the whole garlic bulbs and the soaked shiitake mushrooms along with their soaking liquid.
6. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then drop it to the barest simmer.
7. Cover the pot and leave it alone for one hour and thirty minutes.
8. Lift out the muslin bundle and discard it, or the herbs will turn the broth bitter.
9. Stir in the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rock sugar and salt.
10. Taste the broth and add more salt or light soy if it tastes thin.
11. Add the beancurd puffs and the fresh mushrooms and simmer for eight minutes.
12. Add the goji berries and lettuce leaves and simmer for two minutes more, until the leaves collapse.
13. Ladle the pork and broth into deep bowls.
14. Serve with steamed rice, cut youtiao for dunking, and the chilli and soy dipping sauce.