Bak kut teh (Singapore peppery style)
Singapore's riverside bak kut teh shops, around Rangoon Road, Balestier and the old Clarke Quay docks, still open early for the kind of customer the dish was made for: a hungry worker wanting a fortifying bowl before a long day. Unlike the dark, herbal Malaysian versions, the Teochew style here is a clear, golden broth that bites with white pepper and is sweet with whole bulbs of garlic, poured over meaty pork ribs that have simmered until tender. It is eaten with white rice, youtiao (fried dough sticks) to dunk, braised peanuts or salted vegetables, a dish of dark soy with chopped chilli, and a pot of strong oolong tea to cut the fat. A common mistake is to let the pot boil hard, which clouds the broth and toughens the ribs; it should only shiver. Chef's tip: toast the crushed white pepper in a dry pan for a minute before it goes in, for a deeper, rounder heat.








