Rong Chen Bak Kut Teh: Which is your favourite Pork Part?

When I was living in Australia, the most expensive part of the Chicken was the breast meat. Wings used to be dirt cheap, like $2 per kg. Over there, they throw away the fish head, but over here we pay a premium for it. When it comes to Pork, the ribs are considered the premium part of the pig. I would go so far to say that for me, Prime Ribs are my favourite part of the pig. They have excellent texture and taste when boiled till really soft and also when they are slow BBQed till the meat falls off the bone.

Good thing about this 30 year old Bak Kut Teh stall is that they have a good supply of Prime Ribs and they cut it so that you can only use your hands to eat it. The soup here is sweet and aromatic. It is the Teochew type, so its basically pepper and garlic and it's light in colour. I would give high marks for the soup, but the meat that day wasn't tender enough to be enjoyed by people without dentures. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Another famous Bak Kut Teh to add to the list. The soup is excellent but the meat could be more tender.

Rong Chen Bak Kut Teh
Blk 22 Sin Ming Road
97544774

Ah Peng Bak Koot Teh: History of Bak Kut Teh Part 2

I think Bak Kut Teh really stands out amongst the hawker foods of Singapore in the amount of history and folklore that surrounds this simple dish. In my previous post I penned down Mr Frankie Gwee's version of the BKT story which invited some armchair historians to protest that BKT actually originated from the Klang Valley. Well, I think that that story came from a Wikipedia article which I think propagated several other articles.

If you want to know what really happened, you just have to talk to people who have been there or at least are close to the actual events in History. Ah Peng, now in his 60's, is one such person.

He recalls how, when growing up in the 50's, Bak Kut Teh was sold primarily in two markets. One was in the Teochew enclave of Zhu Zai Chang (New Market) and the other in the Hokkien enclave of Tie Ba Sar in Beach Road. In those days the coolies came off the boats from Southern China and they had to join the Gangs (Hei Ser Hui) to be able to get work and a place to live.

I had initially thought that Bak Kut Teh in those days was food for the poor, so there must have been lots of pork bones with little meat. Not so, says Ah Peng. Bak Kut Teh then, as it is now, is a premium hawker dish. The Coolies needed energy to do their back breaking work so they needed a nutritious source of energy. What really surprised me was the fact that Coolies in those days were paid better than office workers. So they could actually pay the 70 cents for a bowl of BKT, 10 cents for the cup of tea and 10 cents for the bowl of rice. On top of that, some even splurge on a cup of rice wine after the whole meal, smacking their lips loudly as they finish the cup to show the world that they have indeed "arrived".



Ah Peng has been brewing BKT since 1978 and has changed location several times. Although he doesn't attract as much attention as Ng Ah Sio, he does get his fair share of celebrities. Amongst them is Chow Yuen Fatt, whom he described as a traditional Chinaman when it comes to eating. Mr Chow would have a bowl of rice firmly fixed in his left hand and would use his chopsticks to scoop the rice into his mouth, never putting the bowl of rice down until it is empty.

The Bak Kut Teh here is good for those who like their BKT soup less peppery. The soup is mild, sweet with only a slight hint of herbs. The pork ribs are tender and tasty as they use chilled pork instead of frozen pork. Really shiok with You Char Kway! 4.25/5

When asked about he thought of Klang style Bak Kut Teh, Ah Peng simply laughed and said that they use a lot of herbs including Tang Kuei which is traditionally used to boost women's reproductive health and to ease pre-menstrual syndrome. I had no rebuttal for that!

Conclusion

Another day, another Bak Kut Teh Story. I am really growing more and more confident that Bak Kut Teh is indeed part of our Singapore Story. Let's get it straight for the sake of posterity.

Update: 3 Sep 2008

Unfortunately, Ah Peng has closed the shop and am now in retirement.

Ah Peng Bak Koot Teh
No. 3 Seng Poh Road
Soon Soon Huat Eating House
62225434
7.30am to 2.30pm Open Daily

Leong Kee Bak Kut Teh: Klang Style BKT anyone?

With Camemberu, liverpool, iwatch_ueat and Tag


The Malaysians may insist that Bak Kut Teh is invented in the Klang Valley, but as you know in my last article, I wrote that Bak Kut Teh was actually invented in Singapore by the Teochews at Clarke Quay. Actually if you think about it, how these two stories can be reconciled may be quite simple. I think that the concept of boiling pork bone soup is quite generic and they probably do it commonly in South China. I mean it doesn't take a genius to dream up boiling pork bones does it? Then when our forefathers came to Singapore and Malaysia, they brought the concept with them but changed the recipe to suit the local needs. The Cantonese like to use herbs in their soup, so the Klang version features much more herbs then the Teochew version which uses pepper and garlic. Sounds plausible does it not? (This is my own theory and not from some history book)

Anyway, we wanted to feature a Klang style BKT, so we tried this quite well known one along Beach Road.

We found the soup to be a little bitter rather then sweet and aromatic that day. It lacked the oooomph expected of a good BKT. The pork ribs though were very nice and tender. 3.75/5
Not only I say only yah? My makankakis, Camemberu, liverpool, Tag and iwatch_ueat also say.



BUT this place does have a really good Ter Kah that is to die for (literally). Soft, sticky, sweet and savoury, the fats and tendons melts in your mouth and I can feel it go directly into my coronary arteries. Phwa, very shiok but not something you want to admit to your cardiologist on your follow up visit after coronary bypass surgery.



Definitely one of the better Ter Kahs I have had in Singapore! Great with a bowl of rice and make sure you drink lots of strong tea to wash it all down. 4.25/5



The stewed peanuts here are worthy of special mention. They were stewed till really soft and sweet and has enough umami make you keep eating it. Nice, very nice. 4.25/5

Conclusion

It has been reported that the soup here can be inconsistent. Maybe we just went on a bad day for the BKT. The Ter Kah and peanuts still managed to get me to expend my calories for the day.

Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh
321 Beach Road (Jn Sultan Gate and Beach Road)
11am to 9pm
Wed Closed

Outram Park Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh: A Short History Lesson on Bak Kut Teh!

With Liverpool, carnineviand and Bashful Hunter

I am just beginning to realise how I have taken for granted so many of the hawker foods that we enjoy in Singapore. When you talk about what food is uniquely Singaporean, most people will say Chilli Crab but have difficulty naming the rest. That's because we assume that Chinese food or Malay food is either from China or Malaysia and Indonesia. When you get into the history of Singapore Food, you suddenly realise just what a rich heritage we have. Amongst them are Indian Rojak, Chicken Rice, Hokkien Mee, Laksa and Chwee Kueh just to name a few. Yes, all these foods were invented right here in Singapore.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out last week that Bak Kut Teh is a Singapore invention too! At least according to Mr Frankie Gwee from this Bak Kut Teh stall. He told me in no uncertain terms that Bak Kut Teh actually started around the Clarke Quay/River Valley area back in the post war years. Back then, the Chinese coolies used to offload sacks of rice and other goods which was backbreaking work. The two rival clans were the Teochews and the Hokkiens who would compete with each other for work. Since the men needed to eat stuff that would boost their energy, one enterprising Teochew man started selling soup made from boiling Pork Bones with garlic and pepper. Thus was born the Bak Kut Teh. And yes, it is a Teochew invention. Of course, the Hokkiens did not want to lose out, so they also came up with their own version of Bak Kut Teh which was darker and used other herbs. (Ok, I think I might have just reignited the clan rivalry between Teochews and Hokkiens with this!)

I found the soup here very good. Robust but not overly peppery, it has got a sweet savory taste that comes from boiling the pork bones until they are almost crumbly. That's when all the rich stuff from the marrow gets released into the soup. We found the ribs here cooked until it is very nice and tender too. 4.5/5

Actually Bak Kut Teh is not very healthy since it is so rich in Cholesterol. That's why drinking tea actually does help to cleanse the palate. However, I am not sure how much it does to lower the cholesterol levels in the blood. But as Frankie tells me, one of the renown heart surgeons at SGH is a regular customer there and he frequently downs 7 bowls of soup! (So who am I to argue with a heart surgeon?)

I also like the peanuts here. It is braised till it is soft and sweet but the skin is still intact. This stall also sells a few dishes that are quite unique. One is the Mee Sua which you can order in place of rice. It was ok, but Mee Sua is not my thing. (I always thought that Mee Sua was for people without teeth, since my late Grandma used to love Mee Sua) I personally prefer my bowl of hot Bak Kut Teh soup with a big bowl of You Char Kway!

The unique thing about Bak Kut Teh is the fact that to make all the different dishes, all they need is the one Bak Kut Teh soup! They add it to Cabbage, Tang Orh, Mee Sua and then market it as a separate dish. Another dish that is quite unique here is the Fish Soup, which is essentially Sliced Striped Snake Head fish in Bak Kut Teh soup. Though it is the same soup stock the soup takes on a new character from the taste of the fish. The fish is very fresh (what do you expect from a Teochew Ah Hia?) and its a good alternative if you want to cut down on cholesterol. 4/5

I must make special mention of the service here which is a world of difference from the other famous Bak Kut Teh stall. Frankie is extremely hospitable and even came by to show us the right way to drink tea. People who have been there can attest to the great service he provides for all his customers. Having lost his right eye (and nearly paralysed) from a motorcycle accident years ago, he is thankful for his second chance in life. You might have read that he had donated a large sum of money to help the family of the man who jumped in front of the MRT train. When Donald Tsang could not get a seat at Ng Ah Sio, guess who specially opened the shop at night to provide a bowl of Bak Kut Teh for the famous politician? You might think that he did it for publicity, but I think that he did it because it was the right thing to do. He also just returned from New York where he was part of the team of Singaporean Hawkers that KF Seetoh brought there to showcase Singapore food. He gets my vote for "Ambassador for Singapore Hawker Food".

Conclusion

Great Bak Kut Teh with great service to boot. There might be people who would contest the history of Bak Kut Teh. Some people believe that it originated from the Klang Valley in Malaysia. I think that for the Teochew version at least, Bak Kut Teh is a truly Singaporean dish, which might explain why so many politicians are coming to specially to eat it here!

Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Char
No 7 Keppel Road #01-05/07
PSA Tanjong Pagar Complex
Frankie Gwee
62229610
98241066
7am to 3pm
Closed on Mondays

Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup: Politically Incorrect Bak Kut Teh!

Just what is it about Bak Kut Teh that is so special that politicians spurn potential embarrassment just to get a taste of it at this stall? I mean really. If you are a well known politician, why would you risk getting your name smeared by being thrown out of a restaurant? You would think that after this Bak Kut Teh stall turned down Mr Donald Tsang's request for a bowl of Bak Kut Teh that as a politician you would thread carefully. But no. Along comes Mr Thaksin Shinawatra whose money may buy lots of other stuff but not a seat here. Well let me qualify that. He did get a seat because unlike Mr Donald Tsang, he came during the opening hours, but he made the mistake of arguing with the owner over a bowl of innards and apparently got himself kicked out of the restaurant!* OK, two famous politicians down.... next!



So just what is it about Bak Kut Teh that reduces big name politicians to mere mortals? Or is it that this Bak Kut Teh is so elusive that when these big guys are recommending food places to each other, it becomes a sort of a "dare" to come eat here and live to tell about it? Or do they really believe, as is reported in "talking cock"* that people who kena tekan (got whacked) come can eat the Ter Kah (Braised Pig Trotter) because of its mysterious restorative powers? Poor Mr Thaksin not only did not get his cure but got tekan some more.

Anyway, I can't understand why he would come here for Ter Kah because the ones I had in Thailand are so much better. The Ter Kah here was not as soft as I expected it to be. It could be that this was a new batch and did not spend enough time in the braising sauce. 3.75/5

The Bak Kut Teh soup was an peppery blast typical of Teochew style Bak Kut Teh. Robust and spicy, it is guaranteed to clear your sinuses. (If it doesn't, please see your Doctor!) The garlic and pepper residue at the bottom of each bowl is evidence of how long the stuff has been boiled. Unfortunately, I did not manage to order the prime ribs that day and we ended up having off cuts, so the meat was a bit dry. I think the prime ribs would have been better. 4.25/5



Eating Bak Kut Teh without tea would be blasphemy wouldn't it? There is a good reason that it is called Bak Kut Teh, it is literally Pork Bone Tea after all. It is believed that the tea's astringent properties neutralizes the fats/cholesterol that comes from the pork fat and bone marrow.

Drinking tea is one of those things that the older people do that I have started to appreciate. You know you are getting older when you start enjoying the stuff that your grandparents used to enjoy when you were a kid. You know, things like drinking herbal stuff and chinese tea along with horrors of horrors, Rosewood furniture! (No I am still not old enough to appreciate Rosewood furniture yet!)

Conclusion

Yes the Bak Kut Teh soup was very enjoyable but I am still left wondering if it is really worth risking one's reputation for it?

Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House
208 Rangoon Road
62947545
6am to 2pm
Closed on Mondays

Couldn't resist taking a picture of this old Avery scale which was so prevalent when I was growing up! A real Gen X antique!

*Stuff reported in Talking Cock shouldn't be taken too seriously