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{{Short description|Malaysian and Singaporean pork rib dish}}
{{Short description|Southern Chinese dish}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox food
{{Infobox food
| name = Bak kut teh
| name = {{lang|nan|Bak kut teh}}
| image = Bakutteh.jpg
| image = Bakutteh.jpg
| image_size = 230px
| image_size = 230px
| caption = A closeup of ''bak kut teh''
| caption = A closeup of {{lang|nan|Bak kut teh}}
| alternate_name =
| alternate_name =
| country = [[Fujian]], [[China]]<ref name="NLB-Bak kut teh">{{cite web | title = Bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} | work = National Library Board of Singapore | author = Damien Lim | url = http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1800_2011-03-18.html}}</ref><ref name="lee boon teh">{{cite web | title = The man who put Teh in bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} | work = TheStar newspaper | author = WANI MUTHIAH | url = http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/08/31/the-man-who-put-teh-in-bak-kut-teh/ }}</ref>
| country = [[China]]<ref name="NLB-Bak kut teh">{{cite web | title = Bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} | work = National Library Board of Singapore | author = Damien Lim | url = http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1800_2011-03-18.html}}</ref>
| region = [[South China]] ([[Fujian]])
[[Klang (city)|Klang]], [[Malaysia]]<ref name="Yoshino">{{cite journal|last=Yoshino|first=Kosaku|year=2010|title=Malaysian Cuisine: A Case of Neglected Culinary Globalization|journal=Globalization, Food and Social Identities in the Asia Pacific Region|publisher=Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture|location=Tokyo|page=4|url=http://icc.fla.sophia.ac.jp/global%20food%20papers/pdf/2_4_YOSHINO.pdf|access-date=8 July 2014|archive-date=2 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502154812/http://icc.fla.sophia.ac.jp/global%20food%20papers/pdf/2_4_YOSHINO.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Chua Lam">{{cite book |url=http://senghuatbakkutteh.com/senghuatbakkutteh-mag2-chualam.pdf |title=chua lam's gourmet journey in Malaysia |author= Chua Lam |pages=26 |publisher=G.F. Publishing(M) Pte Ltd. |date=5 April 2011 | isbn = 9789675381119}}</ref>
⚫
| creator = [[Hoklo people|Hoklo]]
[[Singapore]] <small>(Teochew version)</small><ref name="Singapore Hawker"/>
| region = [[Hokkien]]- and [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]]-speaking areas of [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]]
| national_cuisine = [[Malaysian cuisine|Malaysia]], [[Singaporean cuisine|Singapore]]
⚫
| creator =
| course =
| course =
| served =
| served =
| main_ingredient = [[pork ribs]], complex [[broth]] of herbs and spices (including [[star anise]], [[cinnamon]], [[cloves]], ''[[Angelica sinensis|dang gui]]'', [[fennel]] seeds and garlic)
| main_ingredient = [[pork ribs]], complex [[broth]] of herbs and spices (including [[star anise]], [[cinnamon]], [[cloves]], ''[[Angelica sinensis|dang gui]]'', [[fennel]] seeds and garlic)
| variations = Hokkien and Teochew
| variations =
| calories =
| calories =
| other =
| other =
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}}
}}


⚫
'''{{lang|nan|Bak kut teh}}''' or '''{{lang|nan|Bah kut teh}}''' ({{zh|t={{linktext|肉骨茶}}|poj=Bah-kut-tê}}) is a [[Southern China|Southern Chinese]] dish consists of [[pork ribs]] simmered in a [[broth]] of herbs and spices (including [[star anise]], [[cinnamon]], [[cloves]], ''[[dong quai]]'', [[fennel]] seeds and garlic) for hours.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-bak-kut-teh-pork-bone-tea/|title= BAK KUT TEH|author= Vivian|access-date= 2 April 2021}}</ref><ref>Grêlé D, Raimbault L, Chng N. Discover Singapore on Foot. Select Publishing, 2007. page 158.</ref>
'''''Bak kut teh''''' (also spelt '''bah kut teh''' and abbreviated '''BKT'''; {{zh|t={{linktext|肉骨茶}}|poj=Bah-kut-tê}}, [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] Pe̍h-uē-jī: ''nêg8-gug4-dê5'') is a pork rib dish cooked in broth popularly served in [[Malaysia]] and [[Singapore]] where there is a predominant [[Hoklo people|Hoklo]] and [[Teochew people|Teochew]] community.

⚫
The name literally translates from the [[Hokkien]] dialect as "meat bone tea", and at its simplest, consists of [[pork ribs]] simmered in a [[broth]] of herbs and spices (including [[star anise]], [[cinnamon]], [[cloves]], ''[[dong quai]]'', [[fennel]] seeds and garlic) for hours.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-bak-kut-teh-pork-bone-tea/|title= BAK KUT TEH|author= Vivian|access-date= 2 April 2021}}</ref><ref>Grêlé D, Raimbault L, Chng N. Discover Singapore on Foot. Select Publishing, 2007. page 158.</ref> Despite its name, there is in fact no tea in the dish itself; the name refers to a strong [[oolong]] [[Chinese tea]] which is usually served alongside the soup in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.


However, additional ingredients may include [[offal]], varieties of mushroom,<!--Which ones?--> [[Chinese cabbage|choy sum]], and pieces of dried [[tofu]] or fried tofu puffs. Additional Chinese herbs may include ''yu zhu'' (玉竹, rhizome of [[Polygonatum|Solomon's seal]]) and ''ju zhi''<!--need hanzi--> (buckthorn fruit), which give the soup a sweeter, slightly stronger flavor. Light and [[dark soy sauce]] are also added to the soup during cooking, with varying amounts depending on the variant – the [[Teochew people|Teochew's]] version is lighter than the [[Fujian cuisine|Hokkien]]s'. The dish can be garnished with chopped coriander or green onions and a sprinkling of fried shallots.
However, additional ingredients may include [[offal]], varieties of mushroom,<!--Which ones?--> [[Chinese cabbage|choy sum]], and pieces of dried [[tofu]] or fried tofu puffs. Additional Chinese herbs may include ''yu zhu'' (玉竹, rhizome of [[Polygonatum|Solomon's seal]]) and ''ju zhi''<!--need hanzi--> (buckthorn fruit), which give the soup a sweeter, slightly stronger flavor. Light and [[dark soy sauce]] are also added to the soup during cooking, with varying amounts depending on the variant – the [[Teochew people|Teochew's]] version is lighter than the [[Fujian cuisine|Hokkien]]s'. The dish can be garnished with chopped coriander or green onions and a sprinkling of fried shallots.


Originating from the Hoklo's culinary tradition, this dish also can be found outside of their native home in Fujian (China) due to Hoklo Chinese diaspora existence in some countries; especially in [[Southeast Asia]] where these dish commonly associated with another Southern Chinese culinary in general.
In Malaysia, it is often served with strips of fried dough called ''[[youtiao|you char kway]]'' ({{zh|t=油炸鬼/粿}}). Soy sauce (usually dark soy sauce, but light soy sauce is also offered sometimes) is preferred as a condiment, with which chopped chilli padi (Bird's eyes chili) and minced garlic is taken together. Tea of various kinds, for example the Tieguanyin ({{lang|zh|鐵觀音, 铁观音}}) variety which is popular in the Klang Valley area of Malaysia, is also usually served in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.

In Singapore, similarly the Teochew variant dish is served with a side of [[youtiao]] cut into small pieces, meant to be dipped into the soup of the dish before consumption. Braised pig trotters are also an option that can be ordered as a side together with the dish and dark soy sauce with chilli padi is preferred as a condiment. Tea, prepared in a [[Gongfu tea ceremony|kung fu tea ceremony]] is also served in restaurants specialising in the dish.

''Bak kut teh'' is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch. The [[Fujian cuisine|Hokkien]] and [[Chaozhou cuisine|Teochew]] are traditionally tea-drinking cultures and this aspect runs deep in their cuisines.


==History==
==History==
[[File:bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} zz.jpg|thumb|A meal of ''bak kut teh'' served with ''youtiao''.]]
[[File:bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} zz.jpg|thumb|A meal of ''bak kut teh'' served with ''youtiao''.]]
===Etymology===
⚫
The ''bak'' or ''bah'' ({{lang|zh|肉}}) is a [[Min Nan Chinese|Southern Chinese]] of [[Hokkien]] word for "meat", specifically the pork, suggesting that this dish is an original Fujian (Hokkien) root.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ieatishootipost.sg/seng-huat-bak-kut-teh-restoran-the-origins-of-bak-kut-teh-continued/ |title=g Huat Bak Kut Teh Restoran: The Origins of Bak Kut Teh continued…|date= 20 July 2011 |author=Leslie Tay }}</ref>


===Origin===
''Bak kut teh'' is commonly consumed in both Malaysia and Singapore.<ref name="Yoshino"/> The origin of ''bak kut teh'' is unclear, but it is believed to have been brought over from [[Fujian]], China<ref name="Chua Lam"/><ref name="NLB-Bak kut teh"/><ref name="lee boon teh"/> and to have derived from the Fujianese dish known as ''niu pai''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tracing the origins of bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} {{!}} The Star|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/food/2018/02/13/tracing-origins-bak-kut-teh|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.thestar.com.my}}</ref> In Malaysia, the dish is popularly associated with [[Klang (city)|Klang]], where the locals believe it to be the place of origin of ''bak kut teh''.<ref name="My & Sg">{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_MkeiYC5g2kC&pg=PA140 |title=Malaysia & Singapore|author= Su-Lyn Tan|author2= Mark Tay |publisher=Lonely Planet |year= 2003 |page= 140|isbn=9781740593700}}</ref> There are a number of claims for the invention of the dish; one claimed that a local ''sinseh'' (a Chinese physician) invented the dish in the 1930s,<ref name="Florence A. Samy">{{cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/story/?file=%2f2009%2f9%2f23%2fnation%2f20090923170416& |title= No intention to patent local food, Dr Ng says|author= Florence A. Samy |date=23 September 2009 |work=The Star }}</ref> while another claimed he brought the recipe from his hometown in Fujian, China, in the 1940s.<ref name="lee boon teh"/> The dish is also claimed to have been invented in [[Port Klang]] for coolies working at the port to supplement their meagre diet and as a tonic to boost their health in the early 20th century.<ref name="Florence A. Samy"/> The dish was popular among early Chinese immigrants, many of whom had also come from Fujian.

The [[Teochew people|Teochew]] variant was developed in Singapore and was sold along areas located beside the [[Singapore River]], specifically in [[Clarke Quay]] and [[River Valley, Singapore|River Valley]] after the end of [[World War II]].<ref name="Singapore Hawker">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aEB2CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA94 |title=Singapore Hawker Classics Unveiled: Decoding 25 Favourite Dishes|author= Temasek Polytechnic |pages=93–96 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd. |date=15 July 2015 | isbn = 9789814677868 }}</ref> By the 1960s, ''bak kut teh'' had become a popular street fare in Singapore. Certain business has been focused mainly on serving this dish, and developed their business from humble pushcart into a [[restaurant chain]].

⚫
The Chinese word ''bak'' ({{lang|zh|肉}}), which means "meat" (or more specifically pork), is the vernacular pronunciation in [[Hokkien]], but not in [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] (which pronounced it as ''nek''), suggesting an original Hokkien root.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ieatishootipost.sg/seng-huat-bak-kut-teh-restoran-the-origins-of-bak-kut-teh-continued/ |title=g Huat Bak Kut Teh Restoran: The Origins of Bak Kut Teh continued…|date= 20 July 2011 |author=Leslie Tay }}</ref>


{{lang|nan|[[Tea|Teh]]}}-based dishes is not a strange or uncommon thing for communities in Southern China region, each [[Han people|Han]]'s ethnics has their own way of consuming tea. The [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]] for instance, they have a ''Liang teh'' tradition which believed could boost health performance; those ''Liang teh'' later developed by its neighbouring ethnic group, such as the Hoklo (a.k.a. Hokkien), where they added some meats to the recipe. The Hoklo people itself traced its origin to the Southern China region of [[Fujian]],<ref name="Chua Lam"/><ref name="NLB-Bak kut teh"/><ref name="lee boon teh"/> and its close resemblance dish known as ''niu pai'' also may related to the ''Bak kut teh''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tracing the origins of bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} {{!}} The Star|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/food/2018/02/13/tracing-origins-bak-kut-teh|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.thestar.com.my}}</ref>
The question of its origin has been the subject of a dispute between Malaysia and Singapore; in 2009, the tourism minister of Malaysia, [[Ng Yen Yen]], claimed that ''bak kut teh'' is a dish of Malaysian origin, and that neighbouring countries had "hijacked" many of Malaysia's original dishes.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper = The Sydney Morning Herald | date = 18 September 2009 | title = Malaysian food being hijacked | url = http://www.smh.com.au/world/malaysian-food-being-hijacked-20090917-fto3.html}}</ref>


==Varieties==
==Varieties==
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Bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} is popular among the [[Chinese Indonesian]] community in the [[Riau Islands]], [[Indonesia]].<ref name="Bak kut teh">{{Cite web|url=http://web.budaya-tionghoa.net/index.php/item/233-resep-masakan--bak-kut-teh-肉骨茶-ala-teochew|title=Resep Masakan : "Bak Kut Teh 肉骨茶 ala Teochew|website=web.budaya-tionghoa.net}}</ref>
Bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} is popular among the [[Chinese Indonesian]] community in the [[Riau Islands]], [[Indonesia]].<ref name="Bak kut teh">{{Cite web|url=http://web.budaya-tionghoa.net/index.php/item/233-resep-masakan--bak-kut-teh-肉骨茶-ala-teochew|title=Resep Masakan : "Bak Kut Teh 肉骨茶 ala Teochew|website=web.budaya-tionghoa.net}}</ref>


==Controversy==
Vegetarian bak kut {{not a typo|teh}} also can be found in [[Malaysia]]. Instead of using pork or chicken, oyster mushroom is used.
Malaysia has always been known as 'the cultural theft' by its neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia; in 2009 the 'tension' over {{lang|nan|Bak kut teh}} has caused disputes between countries when the tourism minister of Malaysia, [[Ng Yen Yen]], claimed that the ''Bak kut teh'' is a dish of Malaysian origin,<ref>{{cite news | newspaper = The Sydney Morning Herald | date = 18 September 2009 | title = Malaysian food being hijacked | url = http://www.smh.com.au/world/malaysian-food-being-hijacked-20090917-fto3.html}}</ref> while in fact, these dish is a Southern China origin. The unethical repeated Malaysia's behavior to 'steal' another countries cultural things has raised strong arguments especially amongst the Chinese diaspora in all over the world, some people suppose that the [[cultural appropriation]] Malaysia repeatedly done is condemnable.


==See also==
==Malaysian national record==
{{Portal|Food|China}}
On 22 November 2008, the Malaysian Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCCI) collaborated with five ''bak kut teh'' sellers in Klang to cook the world's biggest bowl of the Hokkien variant of ''bak kut teh''. The bowl was 182.88&nbsp;cm in diameter and 91.44&nbsp;cm in height, and contained 500&nbsp;kg of pork, 450&nbsp;kg of soup and 50&nbsp;kg of herbal medicine, and has been listed in the Malaysian Book of Record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/23/content_10399622.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225093333/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/23/content_10399622.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 December 2008 |title= World's biggest bowl of Bak Kut Teh in Malaysia|author= B.I. |date=23 November 2008 |work=XinHuaNet }}</ref>
* [[List of Chinese soups]]
* [[List of soups]]
* [[Samgye-tang]]


==References==
==References==
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{{Commons category|Bak kut teh}}
{{Commons category|Bak kut teh}}
{{Fujian cuisine}}
{{Fujian cuisine}}
{{Singaporean cuisine|state=collapsed}}
{{Indonesian cuisine}}
{{Malaysian cuisine}}


[[Category:Chinese soups]]
[[Category:Chinese soups]]
[[Category:Teochew cuisine]]
[[Category:Teochew cuisine]]
[[Category:Fujian cuisine]]
[[Category:Fujian cuisine]]
[[Category:Indonesian cuisine]]
[[Category:Malaysian cuisine]]
[[Category:Singaporean cuisine]]
[[Category:Chinese pork dishes]]
[[Category:Chinese pork dishes]]

Revision as of 19:05, 25 February 2023

Bak kut teh
A closeup of Bak kut teh
Place of originChina[1]
Region or stateSouth China (Fujian)
Created byHoklo
Main ingredientspork ribs, complex broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic)
  •   [[Commons:Category:Bak kut teh|Media: Bak kut teh]]
Bak kut teh
Chinese肉骨茶
Hokkien POJBah-kut-tê
Literal meaningmeat bone tea
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinRòugǔchá
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingjuk6 gwat1 caa4
Southern Min
Hokkien POJBah-kut-tê

Bak kut teh or Bah kut teh (Chinese: 肉骨茶; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bah-kut-tê) is a Southern Chinese dish consists of pork ribs simmered in a broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dong quai, fennel seeds and garlic) for hours.[2][3]

However, additional ingredients may include offal, varieties of mushroom, choy sum, and pieces of dried tofu or fried tofu puffs. Additional Chinese herbs may include yu zhu (玉竹, rhizome of Solomon's seal) and ju zhi (buckthorn fruit), which give the soup a sweeter, slightly stronger flavor. Light and dark soy sauce are also added to the soup during cooking, with varying amounts depending on the variant – the Teochew's version is lighter than the Hokkiens'. The dish can be garnished with chopped coriander or green onions and a sprinkling of fried shallots.

Originating from the Hoklo's culinary tradition, this dish also can be found outside of their native home in Fujian (China) due to Hoklo Chinese diaspora existence in some countries; especially in Southeast Asia where these dish commonly associated with another Southern Chinese culinary in general.

History

A meal of bak kut teh served with youtiao.

Etymology

The bak or bah (肉) is a Southern Chinese of Hokkien word for "meat", specifically the pork, suggesting that this dish is an original Fujian (Hokkien) root.[4]

Origin

Teh-based dishes is not a strange or uncommon thing for communities in Southern China region, each Han's ethnics has their own way of consuming tea. The Cantonese for instance, they have a Liang teh tradition which believed could boost health performance; those Liang teh later developed by its neighbouring ethnic group, such as the Hoklo (a.k.a. Hokkien), where they added some meats to the recipe. The Hoklo people itself traced its origin to the Southern China region of Fujian,[5][1][6] and its close resemblance dish known as niu pai also may related to the Bak kut teh.[7]

Varieties

Hokkien bak kut teh in Klang, Malaysia, has darker broth.
Teochew bak kut teh in Singapore has clear and lighter broth.

There are numerous variants of bak kut teh with its cooking style closely influenced by the prevailing Chinese enclave of a certain geographical location.

There are three main types of bak kut teh.

  • The Teochew style, which is light in colour but uses more pepper and garlic in the soup.
  • The Hoklo (Hokkien), uses a variety of herbs and soy sauce creating a more fragrant, textured and darker soup.
  • The Cantonese, with a soup-drinking culture, add medicinal herbs as well to create a stronger flavoured soup.

The main visual difference between the Hokkien and Teochew version of bak kut teh is that the Hokkiens use more dark soy sauce and thus the soup base is characteristically darker in colour.[8]

In addition, a dry form of bak kut teh has also recently become increasingly popular within Malaysia, especially in Klang town. Although called dry, the broth is in fact reduced to a thicker gravy, to which other ingredients such as wolfberries, dried dates, dried chillies and dried squid are added. Unlike the original rib soup, the dry version has a tangier, sharper taste and is more akin to a herbal stew than the classical broth. It is often recommended locally in Malaysia as an excellent hangover cure.

In Malaysia, a less fatty variation of bak kut teh made with chicken instead of pork is called chik kut teh.[9] It also serves as a halal version of the dish catered to Muslims, whose religion forbids them to consume pork.[10]

Bak kut teh is popular among the Chinese Indonesian community in the Riau Islands, Indonesia.[11]

Controversy

Malaysia has always been known as 'the cultural theft' by its neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia; in 2009 the 'tension' over Bak kut teh has caused disputes between countries when the tourism minister of Malaysia, Ng Yen Yen, claimed that the Bak kut teh is a dish of Malaysian origin,[12] while in fact, these dish is a Southern China origin. The unethical repeated Malaysia's behavior to 'steal' another countries cultural things has raised strong arguments especially amongst the Chinese diaspora in all over the world, some people suppose that the cultural appropriation Malaysia repeatedly done is condemnable.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Damien Lim. "Bak kut teh". National Library Board of Singapore.
  2. ^ Vivian. "BAK KUT TEH". Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  3. ^ Grêlé D, Raimbault L, Chng N. Discover Singapore on Foot. Select Publishing, 2007. page 158.
  4. ^ Leslie Tay (20 July 2011). "g Huat Bak Kut Teh Restoran: The Origins of Bak Kut Teh continued…".
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Chua Lam was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference lee boon teh was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Tracing the origins of bak kut teh | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  8. ^ Naleeza Ebrahim; Yaw Yan Yee (31 July 2010). Not Just a Food Guide: Singapore. Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd. pp. 153–154. ISBN 978-9812329226.
  9. ^ Chinese Food in Kuala Lumpur
  10. ^ Malaysiakini (9 December 2009). "'Halal' bak kut teh has been around for ages". MalaysiaKini.com.
  11. ^ "Resep Masakan : "Bak Kut Teh 肉骨茶 ala Teochew". web.budaya-tionghoa.net.
  12. ^ "Malaysian food being hijacked". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 September 2009.
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