Bak Ku Teh

This Ba Ku Teh recipe was derived by "dissecting" the package of herbal soup that I bought from KL. It was freshly packed with herbs and came with a packet of seasoning which I suspect was nothing else except salt, pepper, sugar and MSG.

In case you are not aware, you can use Ba Ku Teh as one of the tonic soup for confinement which my 1st confinement lady served me.

Ingredients

• 玉竹 (Yu Zhu) x 1 handful
• 人参roots(ren shen xu) 或泡参片 (pao shen slices) x 8 small pieces
• 当归 (dang gui) x 3 slices
• 八角 (ba jiao) x 1 and 1/2
• 川弓 (chuan gong) x 1 tablespoon
• 枸杞子(gou qi zi) x 1 tablespoon
• 楜椒粒(peppercorn) x 2 and 1/2 to 3 tablespoon crushed and (reduce if don’t like too spicy)
• Garlic cloves x 2 whole fruits (around 20 pcs)
• Water x 4 litres
• Pork Rib x 1 to 3 Kg depend on how much you want to eat
• Pig Stomach (optional) x 1
• Canned Mushroom (optional) x 1
• Tau Pok (optional) x 5

Seasoning

• Dark Soy Sauce x 1 teaspoon (if u want it to be black color)
• Light Soy Sauce x 1 teaspoon \
• Pepper
• Salt
• Sugar (little bit)

Methods

1. Blanch pork ribs with hot water.
2. Put all ingredients into hot water and boil for 3 hours.
3. Season and taste to your preference.

Braised Belly Pork "Kung Bak" Style

This is one of the best braised pork recipe that I LOVE (not only like). The first time I tried it was when my confinement lady made that for me many years back and though she had given me the recipe but I can't remember where I placed it untill lately I found it through Kitchencapers.

Do not expect the braised pork that has lots of gravy as the keys to this recipe is to use a superior dark soysauce and cook it over the stove with slow fire for hours. It's quite troublesome but the result is definitely worth it esp if it is to good with the "Kung Bak Bao" (Lotus Brand Steam Bun)...

Ingredients

• Pork belly x 500 gm
• Cloves with skin x 4 nos.
• Ginger , smashed x 2 nos. thumbsize
• Rock sugar x 1 tbsp
• Dark soya sauce x 120 mls
• Oyster sauce x 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick x 1 nos.
• Star Anise x 2 nos.
• Hot water x half cup

Method

1. Fry the cloves and ginger with 3 tbsp of hot oil.
2. Add in the rock sugar and a little water and heat till it caramelises.
3. Add in the cinnamon stick, star anise and the pork belly.
4. Coat pork belly with the caramelised sugar.
5. Add in the dark soya sauce, oyster sauce and water.
6. Simmer for about an hour and then check if meat is tender.
7. Cool down and chop meat into pieces.