History of Singapore Bak Kut Teh. From Coolie Tea to a President's Treat
Ong Say Bak Kut Teh 李旺世肉骨茶 founded in the 1920s is the oldest known bak kut teh brand in Singapore
Bak kut teh together with Hainanese chicken rice is one of the iconic dishes of Singapore. How did the unique Singapore style of pork bone soup come about? How did it become world famous? Making soup with pork bones is not unique to Singapore, indeed it is ubiquitous throughout China since time immemorial. Everywhere there are Chinese communities, there is some form of pork bone soup. But, the Singapore style of bak kut teh - the most famous of all pork bone soup in the world - is a fairly recent creation. The demand for manpower by the flourishing British free port of Singapore coincided with wars and famine in China, bringing largest waves of Chinese immigrants from the 1850s to 1920s. Mostly from the southern China provinces of Guangdong and Fujian, many worked as coolies at the thriving port.
For the poor coolies, there was little to eat. No pork (meat) soup but soup made of garlic cloves, soy sauce and pork bones with scraps of meat on special days, maybe. In the early 1900s, some hawkers began selling pork bone soup at Ellenborough Market known also the "New Market" 新巴刹 or "Teochew Market" 潮州巴刹. New Market because there was an Old Market or Lau Pat Sat at Teluk Ayer. Teochew Market because it was located in the Teochew enclave at the mouth of Singapore River. This was the ideal place for pork related businesses as the abattoir was also located near here. Pork bones with scraps of meat could be had for cheap. (Not to be mistaken for pork ribs which is synonymous with bak kut teh of today.) The pork bone soup was popular with coolies as it was desired as a kind of essential "energy tonic" for their back breaking work in Singapore's blistering tropical heat. Bone marrow was also believed to fortify the immune system. The dish was called Coolie Tea 苦力茶.
Meat bone soup was never really a coolie's dish. Only towkay or bosses could afford meat bone soup regularly, even if it was only scraps of meat on bone. As Coolie Tea, the meat bone was just cooked with garlic cloves and dark soy sauce. With growing affluence, two streams of bak kut teh emerged in Singapore. The Hokkien folks added Chinese herbs like dang gui and liquorice, and spices such as cinnamon and star anise to the garlic and soy sauce. Ong Say Bak Kut Teh 李旺世肉骨茶 founded in the 1920s is the oldest known bak kut teh brand in Singapore. Their popular shop at Nankin Street was packed to the rafters and customers spilled out onto the five foot way during their heydays. Unfortunately, it closed in 1989 when the shops here were demolished to make way for China Square.
Popular Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh to close shop after 30 years
'No one willing to take over, not even family'
Tiong Bahru residents and foodies alike would be familiar with Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh, which can be identified by its iconic pig logo. The decades-old establishment has been dishing out bowls of peppery Teochew-style bak kut teh to their customers and has even grown a loyal fan base.
But all good things must come to an end and the owners, Judy Tay, 67, and Oliver Ko, 71, have decided to hang up their aprons. The stall's last day of operations will be on July 30. The couple have run the business together for more than 30 years, and it has been so long that Judy tells AsiaOne she can't even remember the exact date the stall was established. "Aiyoh, I've lost count of the years. I just know that I've been here for over 30 years," she said. An emotional Judy revealed that she and Oliver had already decided to close the stall a few months back because of "personal matters" they needed to settle. They also plan to use this as an opportunity to rest.
"I feel sad. If you've had a business for over 30 years, you'll definitely feel something," she said. And while it hurts to say goodbye to their beloved stall, they have no choice. "On our end, no one is willing to take over the business, not even family," she explained in Chinese.
Bak kut teh
Bak kut teh (also spelt bah kut teh and abbreviated BKT; Chinese: 肉骨茶; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bah-kut-tê, 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 and 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.
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, 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.
In Malaysia, it is often served with strips of fried dough called you char kway (Chinese: 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 and minced garlic is taken together. Tea of various kinds, for example the Tieguanyin (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 kung fu tea ceremony is also served in restaurants specialising in the dish. Bak kut teh is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch. The Hokkien and Teochew are traditionally tea-drinking cultures and this aspect runs deep in their cuisines.
Bak kut teh
Bak kut teh, or pork ribs soup, is a popular Chinese dish in Singapore. The dish consists of pork ribs stewed with a mixture of fragrant herbs and spices such as garlic, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds and coriander. Referring to the main ingredient in the dish, bak kut teh (Hokkien) and rou gu cha (Mandarin) translate literally to “meat bone tea”.
Bak kut teh is believed to have originated from China’s Fujian province. The introduction of the dish to Singapore and Malaysia is attributed to Hokkien immigrants who moved to this region in the 19th century. The dish is said to have been popular with the Chinese coolies as a hearty breakfast before embarking on their backbreaking tasks of the day. In September 2009, however, the tourism minister of Malaysia, Ng Yen Yen, disputed the Chinese origin of the dish, claiming that bak kut teh was a Malaysian dish created by a Chinese physician in Klang during the 1930s. This claim has not yet been proven.
There are three traditional variants of bak kut teh in Singapore: Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese. As the Hokkien people prefer soups that are robust, their strand of bak kut teh is a strongly scented, thick and cloudy soup that has been boiled with rock sugar and a wide variety of herbs. The dark brown colour of the soup is due to the addition of copious amounts of dark soy sauce, as the Hokkiens often like their food to be saltier compared with their counterparts. The Cantonese, with their fondness for herbal soups, add more medicinal herbs to the dish. Theirs is a less salty version of the Hokkien-style bak kut teh but with a strong herbal taste. Additional ingredients used include button mushrooms, Chinese cabbage and dried tofu. Teochew soups are typically clear in appearance and light in taste. As such, the Teochew variant of bak kut teh is seasoned only with garlic, soy sauce and pepper, with the soup simmered and skimmed. The result is a fine, light brown consommé that is garlicky and peppery.
ORIGIN OF BAK KUT TEH: THE ‘TEH’ IS ACTUALLY A NAME
Where did Bak Kut Teh come from? The origins of this delectable dish have been in dispute for the longest time, and it seems nobody really knew. The most common explanation, however, was that Bak Kut Teh came from Klang, Malaysia. Or, to put it more accurately, brought to Klang by a Chinese man from Fujian, China, which explains its Hokkien roots.
The man was named Lee Boon Teh, who served pork parts in various herbs and spices to Chinese immigrants who first came over to Malaya back in 1945. Back then, the dish was known as Bak Kut, or pork bone. As the dish became more popular, Lee Boon Teh’s name became synonymous with the dish, and merged into one: Bak Kut Teh. Today, residents of Klang remain proud of their very own original Bak Kut Teh, and firmly believe in the origin story. In fact, there are apparently more than a hundred Bak Kut Teh stalls in the town itself. The most famous of the lot, however, is still the stall originally owned by Lee Boon Teh, currently run by his grandson.
Did you know, there are three main versions of Bak Kut Teh? The version originating in Klang is a Hokkien version, more herbal and darker due to the addition of soy sauce. The version we know and love in Singapore is lighter and more peppery, with Teochew roots. The last one is Cantonese in origin, with a more robust and flavourful soup.
What is so special about Bak Kut Teh?
As the Hokkien people prefer soups that are robust, their strand of bak kut teh is astrongly scented, thick and cloudy soup that has been boiled with rock sugar and a wide variety of herbs. Bak kut teh can be healthier than you think. A coffee shop stall in Geylang East Central serves a lower-calorie version of the pork rib soup that the Health Promotion Board has identified as a healthier choice.
Since Clarke Quay was established by the British in the mid-19th century, Tay posits that bak kut teh originated from the island between 1860 and 1920, several decades ahead of its arrival in Malaysia’s Port Swettenham (now Port Klang).
A peppery, piping bowl of bak kut teh is definitely one of our favourites on this list. This bowl of goodness is especially useful in clearing up blocked noses and warming up a cold and tired body. Some like to add some chilli for that extra kick to get rid of the congestion in their noses and throats.
THINGS TO EAT IN SINGAPORE: BAK KUT TEH
Every Singaporean is a foodie. Fortunately for travelers, this means that you can eat very well in the country without spending a lot of money. And while Singapore has plenty of fine dining options, it's primarily cheap hawker food that I miss when I'm back in the US . We've already covered duck rice, popiah, Ipoh hor fun, fish head curry, chilli crab, fish ball noodles, and Hainanese chicken rice, so to continue our series on Singaporean regional cuisine, here's another dish that serves as comfort food to me.
The Chinese love our broth soups. Bak kut teh, which translates literally to "meat bone tea," is a deceptively simple pork rib soup in a peppery broth created from star anise, garlic, cinnamon, and cloves. Brought to Malaya by migrant workers from China, the story goes that the coolies could not afford meat and brewed pork bones into soup because it was cheaper. Depending on who you ask, the coolies were either Teochew or Hokkien (Fujian). What is clear is that different Chinese groups developed their own versions of bak kut teh, from the increased pepper in the Teochew style (the most popular in Singapore) to the highly herbal Cantonese style.
In Singapore, you'll usually get rice and yau char kwai (fried dough) with your bak kut teh, and don't hold back on drinking as much soup as you can handle - stalls are quite happy to refill your bowl with hot broth for free.
Best Bak Kut Teh (BKT) In Singapore: Teochew Peppery & Hokkien Herbal Style
When the weather gets a bit chilly and it is raining out, a good dish to have is a hearty bowl of ‘肉骨茶’ or Bak Kut Teh (literal translation: meat bone tea).
In Singapore, you can typically find two types of bak kut teh.
There’s the Teochew style bak kut teh which is peppery, garlicky and has a bit of a kick to it.
There is also the Hokkien style (aka Klang or Malaysia style) bak kut teh that has a darker and richer soup base that is packed with herbs/
5 BEST BAK KUT TEH IN SINGAPORE: REAL MEAT-TEA-BONE BOWLS
Bah Kut Teh is a Chinese soup that is one of the most-wanted dishes in Singapore. Literally translated as “meat bone tea”, Bah Kut Teh consists of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and spices. This dish is usually coupled with tea in the belief that tea will help dissolve a large amount of fat in the soup.
In Singapore, there are two styles of Bak kut teh served – Teochew style and Klang style. And it is the broth which makes bak kut teh styles different. While Teochew version features clear soup with a peppery taste, Klang version has thick, cloudy soup with an herbal taste. In our lion city, the former is more popular than the latter.
People used to have bak kut teh for breakfast, but it can occur at any dining table of any meals of the day, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or supper. And especially it would the “soup for the soul” on a rainy day. And, if it’s a shiny day, Bak kut teh will definitely be the soup for recharging energy after a tiring journey. Herein the 5 best bak kut teh places highly recommended for you to enjoy Bak kut teh in Singapore:
- NG AH SIO PORK RIBS SOUP EATING HOUSE
- FOUNDER BAK KUT TEH RESTAURANT
- SONG FA BAK KUT TEH
- LEONG KEE (KLANG) BAK KUT TEH
- OUTRAM YA HUA BAK KUT TEH
10 Best Bak Kut Teh Restaurant in Singapore
Bak kut teh is Singapore’s ultimate comfort dish, with a rich broth and thick slices of pork that are especially comfortable in the rain.
The name of this meal literally translates to “pork bone tea,” but there is no tea in this pork-heavy broth. Tea is often served with bak kut teh to help cut through the heaviness of the meat. There are other variations of the meal to try as well.
With ten of the greatest bak kut teh in Singapore, this list brings these various sorts together. Feel free to pay them a visit whenever your hunger pangs:
- Jia Bin Klang
- Balestier Bak Kut Teh
- Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
- Legendary Bak Kut Teh
- Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh
- Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh
- Joo Siah Bak Kut Teh
- KOON Bak Kut Teh
- Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup
- Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha
12 Best BAK KUT TEH In Singapore – For Hot, Peppery Soups and Tender Pork Ribs
Bak Kut Teh must be one of Singapore’s most iconic food, in which many celebrities from overseas are huge fans of.
In Singapore, we typically get three styles of Bak Kut Teh which is the peppery Teochew style (the most commonly found), Hokkien style which incorporates dark soy sauce, and strong herbal-flavoured Cantonese style.
Here are 12 must-try Bak Kut Teh shops in Singapore:
- Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
- Kota Zheng Zong Bak Kut Teh
- Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup 团缘肉骨茶
- Founder Bak Kut Teh 发起人肉骨茶餐馆
- Legendary Bak Kut Teh 發传人肉骨茶
- Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh
- NG AH SIO Bak Kut Teh
- Leon Kee Claypot Pork Rib Soup 諒記砂鍋當歸肉骨茶
- Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh
- Old Street Bak Kut Teh
- Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh
- Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh
Fave Five Bak Kut Teh
Bak kut teh or pork rib tea is close to the hearts of many Singaporeans. The more prevalent version is the Teochew garlicky and peppery broth, but you’ll be able to find others too.
Here are five of the more popular eateries:
- Joo Siah, Blk 347 Jurong East Ave 1 #01-220/221, 9am- 9pm (Tue- Sat) 9am- 4pm (Sun) (Closed on Mon)
- Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, 11 & 17 New Bridge Rd, 7am- 10pm (Closed on Mon) Branch: 6 Changi Business Park Ave 1 #01-38, 10:30am- 9pm
- Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh, 251 Geylang Rd (Beside Lor 11), 11:30am- 9:0pm (Closed on Tue) Branch: 321 Beach Rd, 11am- 9pm (Closed on Mon)
- Founder Rou Gu Cha Cafetaria, 347 Balestier Rd, 12pm- 2:30pm, 6pm- 2:30am (Closed on Tue)
- Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha, 7 Keppel Rd #01-05/07 PSA Tanjong Pagar Complex, 7am- 3pm, 6pm- 4am (Closed on Mon) Branch: 539 Havelock Rd, 6pm- 2am (Closed on Mon)
Here 5 best bak kut teh:
- Hong Ji Claypot Bak Cut
- Lau Ah Tee
- Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh (Sin Ming Road)
- Ya Hua Bak Cut
- Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh (Bedok)
