Bakuteh is popularly served in Malaysia and Singapore. Strangely enough, you could not get it from China or other places with large ethnic Chinese population. Bakuteh is actually originated from Port Klang, 40 minutes from KL city. China immigrants in Port Klang who worked as trishaw puller or labours take herbal soup with pork ribs (Bak Kut) known as bakuteh as energy booster.
So why do we call this herbal soup with pork ribs as Bakuteh instead as Bakuteng (“teng” means soup in Hokkien)? The first man who commercialise Bakuteh in Port Klang is Lee Boon Teh ???. He is so well known that everyone call him as Bak Kut “Teh?”. In hokkien the word “Teh?” of his name shares the same pronouncation as “Teh?”. Thus the name Bakuteh is becoming common.
Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh located at Jalan Sultan (half under the bridge) is run by the third generation of the Lee family. Klang version of bakuteh is less soupy and more herbally. The soup based is made of Chinese Herbs, cloves of garlic, soy sauce and caramelized soy sauce ( ??) as colourings. Pork belly, pork knuckles and pork thigh meat are then added into the boiling soup base. It must be cooked under slow fire for 3 to 4 hours. The key point is do not overload with the amount of salt if you want the meat turned out to be nice and tender.
Round big pot is neccessary for a good pot of Bakuteh too. It uses the principle of heat recycling where every pieces of meat and bones are cooked throughly. Seng Huat sells only 3 big pots of bakuteh every morning so early birds get the good food.
A good pot of Chinese Tea is essential. It helps to clear your mouth and throat for the next bite of those chunky meat.
Today, the Bakuteh has evolved into a wide varieties of version. Ingredients like mushroom, bean curd strips and intestines are added. Teochews prefer it in a spicier way, Singaporean like it to be more pepperly and most Malaysians love it in a soupy way.
Ahhhhh……Don’t you just love Bak Kut Teh?
P/S: I found the video from TVB website, so the pictures above were print screened..
i love the name origin story! LOL
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Yums! BKT and even a story abt how it originated. Coincidentally I went down Klang to have BKT also – very yummy.
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yesterday i have bkt without claypot $#%%^&*~!@
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Rokh: Cute right..:p
Boo: I Lurve the story~!!
Ahboy: Actually claypot can keep ur bkt warm..If ur fussy enough, order individual claypot as the surface is smaller and heat will be retained..
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wo chui xi huan che rou ku cha!!! correct vic???
since i from klang…add some other facts of BKT…
BKT used to be vy vy cheap food…it was meant to be filling for the port workers…CHIAK PA PA KA CHO KANG!!!
now days its very expensive dee!!
btw klang ppl eat BKT without black sauce on the rice and they have their rice in plates instead of bowls!!!
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Ally: thanks for the info~ I love to eat the rice with black sauce too
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BKT in Jln Sultan…..nope..the quality there drops….even though i’m from Klang but I dont really fancy BKT…..sien . Too much BKT can kill me…
aylwin – u presume as Klang BKT are served that way. They used to serve in Bowls and changes during the 90′s. Originally, it was a very herbally taste and somehow it was changed due to commercial reason. A lot of good BKT in Klang back in those days where they uses charcoal to cook. NOW…….forget abt it.
Better to cook at home
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Foodcrazee: I heard that this shop is franchised..Haha..I juz love bkt and wish that i stayed there~!! Any guides on good bkt around Klang?
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foodcrazee : thanks for the info!! u from klang??
hmm!! in klang there are many versions… theres a stall in pandamaran cooks BKT with sotong kering. myself i prefer the shop in taman sentosa behind KFC. there is also taman rasnah BKT. dont go to the Teluk Pulai wan!! BOYCOTT THEM SO EXPENSIVE!!!
next time bring u there!!!
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i love bak kut teh! yum yum!!!! =)
especially with lotsa veges and yau char kwai!
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bkt was invented by a Lee? wow! That makes me proud
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juz love bakuteh
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Joan n Kuang: haha me too..people around me loves bkt
Wjeyon: Haha..Maybe u can use his name n venture into bkt business
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Actually I’ve planned to visit Seng Huat cause it just near BKT we visited last time. Thanks KampungboyCitygal, I just realize I can watch video from TVB website.
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Tulan: Ask me along la..:p
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YO! i love Bakuteh!!!! but now i only know bout the history…:)
nice blog u have…i m looking fwd to more delicious good…
keep blogging ya!
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Hie ..Thanks ~! I will keep it up~
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haha…okie..yea, can i link u to my blog???
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Sure~! My pleasures..Nice kueh ur mum made over there~
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hey..thankz..:)
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somewhere around this Kedai Makanan Seng Huat, there’s this BKT shop too and i think the bkt there is much nicer.. haha but anyway, diff people would have diff preferences.. some like the soup very herb-y, some like it plain and not too strong of herb taste.. some like those dark / dry / wet / claypot / bowl /with seafood / spicy… aiyo.. too many.. hahaha
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