Name: Penang Herbal Pork Bone Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian Chinese
Ingredients: 15 g dang gui (Chinese angelica root), sliced; 10 g chuan xiong (Sichuan lovage root); 8 g huang qi (astragalus root); 5 g gou qi berries (wolfberries); 3 star anise pods; 3 whole cloves; 1 (2-inch) stick cassia bark; 1 tsp whole white peppercorns; 800 g pork spare ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces; 300 g pork belly, sliced 1/2-inch thick; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 10 cloves garlic, smashed; 6 shallots, peeled and halved; 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 30 g rock sugar; 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine; 2.5 L cold water; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes; 10 tofu puffs (tau pok), halved; 200 g baby bok choy, halved lengthwise; 2 tbsp fermented soybeans (tau cheong), optional; 2 cups steamed jasmine rice; 2 fried youtiao (Chinese crullers), cut into 2-inch pieces; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, for dipping; 2 red chilies (cili padi), thinly sliced; 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

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Penang-style herbal pork bone soup is the darker, deeply aromatic cousin of the famous Malaysian bak kut teh. Slow-simmered with a blend of Chinese medicinal roots and warming spices, the broth turns richly herbal and gently sweet. It is traditionally ladled over rice with crisp fried crullers and a soy-chili dipping sauce.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time90 mins

Total Time110 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

580 kcalCalories
38 gFat
13 gSaturated Fat
16 gCarbs
2 gFiber
8 gSugar
40 gProtein
1180 mgSodium
760 mgPotassium
150 mgCalcium
4 mgIron
14 mgVitamin C
95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the herbal sachet

15 g dang gui (Chinese angelica root), sliced
10 g chuan xiong (Sichuan lovage root)
8 g huang qi (astragalus root)
5 g gou qi berries (wolfberries)
3 star anise pods
3 whole cloves
1 (2-inch) stick cassia bark
1 tsp whole white peppercorns

For the pork

800 g pork spare ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
300 g pork belly, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 tbsp vegetable oil
10 cloves garlic, smashed
6 shallots, peeled and halved
2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced

For the broth and seasoning

2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
30 g rock sugar
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
2.5 L cold water
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Vegetables and accompaniments

8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes
10 tofu puffs (tau pok), halved
200 g baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
2 tbsp fermented soybeans (tau cheong), optional

For serving

2 cups steamed jasmine rice
2 fried youtiao (Chinese crullers), cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tbsp dark soy sauce, for dipping
2 red chilies (cili padi), thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

Directions

Place all the sachet herbs (dang gui, chuan xiong, huang qi, wolfberries, star anise, cloves, cassia bark, and peppercorns) into a piece of cheesecloth, gather the corners, and tie securely with kitchen twine.
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes until plump; lift them out, reserve the soaking liquid, and thinly slice the caps.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the pork ribs and pork belly for 5 minutes to draw out impurities. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
Add the blanched pork and sear for 2 minutes. Stir in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, 2.5 L cold water, and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid.
Drop the herbal sachet into the pot and bring everything to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 60 minutes until the pork is tender and the broth is deeply colored.
Add the sliced mushrooms, tofu puffs, and fermented soybeans (if using). Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the flavors concentrate.
Season with salt, nestle in the bok choy, and cook for 2 minutes until just wilted. Carefully fish out and discard the herbal sachet.
Ladle the soup, pork, and vegetables into deep bowls. Serve immediately with bowls of steamed rice, fried youtiao, and a small dish of dark soy sauce mixed with sliced chilies and coriander for dipping.

Cook’s Notes

For a slow-cooker version: after searing the pork and aromatics, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours for even deeper herbal flavor.
Chill the finished broth overnight in the refrigerator; the fat solidifies on top and can be lifted off easily for a cleaner, leaner soup.
Pre-packaged bak kut teh herbal sachets (about 30 g) are widely sold at Asian grocers and make a reliable substitute for the individual roots listed above.
Unlike the Klang/Selangor version, Penang-style bak kut teh uses fewer peppercorns and more soy sauce, so resist the urge to add extra white pepper.
The soup tastes even better the next day once the herbs have fully infused; reheat gently and add fresh bok choy just before serving.

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