Pork Ribs Soya Sauce Soup – simplified bak kut teh (肉骨茶)

Technically speaking, this is not Bak Kut Teh, as it do not have the spices.  However, it is a simplified version with very little ingredient, and yet tasty.  Easy method to make a simple meal.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

1. 600-800 grams Pork Prime ribs, cut into single bone pieces
2. 10 cloves of garlic
3. 5 tablespoon light soya Sauce
4. 5 tablespoon dark soya sauce
5. ½ tablespoon sugar
6. 1.5 litres water
7. 3 tablespoon cooking oil
8. Some salt to taste.

Method

1. Peel garlic, and leave it whole.
2. Rinse the pork ribs, and cut into pieces so that each piece has a bone in.  (you can ask the butcher to cut it for you)
3. Heat up a metal pot, (big enough to contain the soup).  When heated, add in cooking oil, and swirl around to oil the side of the pot.
4. Add in garlic and allow to fry till fragrant.
5. Add in pork ribs, and stir them around to scald the surface.
6. Add in sugar, light soya sauce and dark soya sauce, stir and fry as it sizzle for 3 mins.
7. Add in water, allow it to boil in high heat.  When boiling, lower heat to small, cover the pot and allow it to simmer for 1.5 hours.
8. Taste the soup, and if not salty enough, add some salt. As a guideline, if it is served with noodles, soup has to be slightly salty as the noodle will absorb some of the saltiness.
9. Serve as a soup, or serve with noodles such as Bee Hoon (rice noodles), mee sua (面线), kway teow, yellow noodle.  Pre-boil the noodles in plain water, drain away the water, and serve in a bowl, and top with the soup and pork ribs.