Bak Kut Teh — Peppery Pork Rib Soup

Ingredients

• 2½ lb meaty pork ribs, cut into individual bones
• 3 whole heads garlic, top trimmed off
• 3 tbsp white peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 10 cups water
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked
• 1 cup fried tofu puffs
• 2 cups Baby Bok Choy, halved
• 2 pieces youtiao (fried dough), sliced
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce with sliced chilies, to serve

Method

1. Blanch the ribs in boiling water for 5 minutes, then rinse them under cold water and scrub the pot clean. Skipping this leaves the soup cloudy and scummy.
2. Return the ribs to the clean pot with the water, whole garlic heads, and crushed white peppercorns tied in a muslin bag. Bring to a boil, skim once, then reduce to the barest simmer.
3. Simmer covered for 75 minutes until the meat pulls back from the bone and slides off with light pressure. The broth should taste sharply peppery on the back of the throat.
4. Season with both soy sauces, oyster sauce, and salt, then add the shiitake and tofu puffs and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Drop the Baby Bok Choy in for the last 2 minutes so it stays bright.
6. Ladle into bowls with a garlic head each, and serve with rice, sliced youtiao for dunking, and dark soy with chilies on the side.