1 lb pork back ribs, chopped into 2-inch, lengths
1 large clove garlic, crushed
6 cup water
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole star anise
1 tsp whole white peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 tsp salt
3 tbsp dark soy sauce, or to taste
GARNISHES
2 tbsp crisp fried shallot flakes
1 soy sauce and thinly sliced red chi, les for dipping
2 chinese crullers, sliced (optional)
1 steamed white rice
Directions
I think the only "Singaporean" dish I have is one for a curried
noodle dish known as Singapore Noodles every where in Asian except
Singapore where they never seem to have heard of it. Stay tuned
though. I'll see what I can come up with.
Well, it's a little later and we're in luck! I found three Singapore
recipes in Joyce Jue's "Asian Appetizers". Here's da foist...
Although most Asian lunches and dinners include a soup, there are
certain soups which are served as a snack or even for breakfast. In
Singapore, one of my favorite ways to start a day is to trek over to
a hawker's stall and have a bowl of pork rib "tea" (actually a clear
soup tinted with soy sauce). It comes with Chinese crullers for
dunking, and a strong black tea which I think of as the "espresso" of
teas. This recipe comes from the Straits Cafe in San Francisco. The
crullers, baguette-shaped fried savory pastries, may be purchased at
better Asian markets.
1. Combine the pork, garlic, and water in a large saucepan; bring to
a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Skim and discard the scum from the
surface. Add the cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns, sugar, salt, and
soy sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pork is
tender, about 45 minutes. Discard the excess fat from the soup
before serving.
2. Serve the soup in deep bowls with 3 to 4 rib pieces per serving
and shallot flakes scattered over the top. Combine soy sauce and
chiles to taste in small bowls as a dipping sauce for the ribs. Serve
with cruller slices for dunking into the broth, and a bowl of rice on
the side.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
CRISP FRIED SHALLOT AND GARLIC FLAKES:
Cut 8 shallots or garlic cloves crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices;
you should have 3/4 cup of slices. The slices must all be of equal
thickness to assure even cooking. Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil to
300F in a preheated wok, saucepan, or skillet. Add the slices and
fry slowly for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. They
should be completely dry with no remaining moisture. Remove with a
fine strainer and drain on paper towels. When cool, store in an
airtight container. The flakes will keep for several weeks. Makes
about 1/2 cup.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
NOTE: The flavored oil can be strained and used for stir-frying.
From "Asian Appetizers" by Joyce Jue, Harlow and Ratner, 1991. ISBN
0- ISBN 0-9627345-1-9.
Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; December 8 1992.
Servings: 4 servings
Bak Ku Teh (Pork Rib Tea Soup) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Beverages; Drink; Meat; Pork; Soup
The History of Recipes
Transcribed cooking instructions as a concept can be observed far back into ancient history, at least as far back into history as pharonic Egypt, and maybe further still. Interesting though that is, mostly, these old cookbooks were just basic pictorial recipes for preparing meals.
In an interesting twist, the oldest recipe in existence, according to experts in ancient history is a series of ancient tablets in ancient Sumerian describing the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making those who drank it feel wonderful. Continuing our culinary historical journey, there were some recipe books which were published in the 14th Century ; a book called `Forme of Cury`, and another entitled `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are somewhat misleading tho`, these two books are nothing to do with the indian food that we all know today, but instead accounts of the types of food prepared for the rich and wealthy people of the time. Later on, in the 15th century, people returning from the crusades brought us many foods and spices from Arab cooking, including rosemary and coriander. These new foods and tastes led to a surge in recipe manuscripts, most of which are kept safe in private libraries. Over the succeeding few hundred years, the upper classes competed with each other to offer the most extravagent meals, and as a consequence, the best cooks and their recipe collections increased in prestige. However, it was during the 1800s that fine cookery and recipe books became popular. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally famous Fannie Farmer in the US, devoted their lives to collating, verifying, and publishing the recipes of their peers. The TV revolution gave us TV cookery programs and the demand for the accompanying recipe books. And that pretty much brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, allowing everyone to access thousands of recipes like those on the site you are now reading. |
We hope you enjoy this Bak Ku Teh (Pork Rib Tea Soup) recipe.
