Bak Kut Teh

[PCL]

Tong Sum/Dang Shen

Tong Kwai /Dang Gui

Chuin Kung/Chuan Xiong

Sook Tei/Shu Di

Kei Chee/Qi Zi

Yoke Chok/Yu Zhu

Kam Choe/Qin Jiao

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With all these herbal ingredients, do you use them in raw (non-shredded) form to make BKT? The package my friend sent me was just a pack of some herbal shreds in a cloth bag. (Very small quantity too it seemed) Would the shredded form be just as good or slightly degraded compared to cooking with the whole herb?

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I think the shredded form makes flavour extraction quicker... especially when used with the cloth bag, so it's like a tea bag...

At the stall I mentioned earlier, it's not unusual to find some kei-chee floating around with some yoke chok etc.

[Tepee]

With all these herbal ingredients, do you use them in raw (non-shredded) form to make BKT?  The package my friend sent me was just a pack of some herbal shreds in a cloth bag.  (Very small quantity too it seemed)  Would the shredded form be just as good or slightly degraded compared to cooking with the whole herb?

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Like PCL said, the shredded herbs make the infusion process faster. Some herbs even come powderized, in which case, some active constituents may be lost in the production process. Nothing to do with the grade. If you go to a regular and reliable medicine shop, they'll point you to the better grade stuff.

LOL, all this talk about chinese herbs has a heady effect on me. I really love the smells in a chinese medicine shop. Whenever I go into one, I breathe in deeply to drink in all that fragrance. I always prefer chinese medicine, no matter how bitter it is, over western medicine, whenever I feel under the weather. No nauseous side effects...great smell. I know I'm weird.

[Tepee]

What effect do those herbs have on blood pressure?

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Not sure about its effects on blood pressure, but BKT do have to be taken in moderation* for the following reasons:

1. The herbs here are very bo/nourishing. Herbs that move blood circulation are usually on the heaty side. Women can take the heat more than men. Men can end up with a sore throat.

2. Someone said she once saw a cold pot of BKT at a stall and the lard was more than an inch thick.

* Don't consume it every day....once a week is fine.

[Tepee]

I promise not to THROW OUT THE SOUP, so can we talk just a little about chik-kut-teh?

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Since you promised not to TOTS....

Yes, you can cook with chicken instead. Some brands have a different combination of spices for Chik Kut Teh. Will check out the difference during the weekend's grocery run.

[spaghetttti]

Danger danger Yetty...

for some, and I don't count myself amongst them anymore, though I once was... chik kut teh can be like asking for a double de-caf triple skinny soy latte-mocha-cino....

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I don't even know what that is, (some SB concoction? ) and that's a good thing!

I promise not to THROW OUT THE SOUP, so can we talk just a little about chik-kut-teh?

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Since you promised not to TOTS....

Yes, you can cook with chicken instead. Some brands have a different combination of spices for Chik Kut Teh. Will check out the difference during the weekend's grocery run.

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Thanks, Tepee. There were some packets for Bak Kut Teh, and since I don't do Bak, wasn't sure if the herbs could be used for Chik.

I'm right there with you on the aromatherapeutic effects of a chinese herbal/medicine shop. We've been frequenting our favorite sinshe lately, and I always look forward to spending some time in there. Sometimes invigorating, sometimes mellowing...always pleasurable.

[PCL]

Oh yeah, I forgot Yetty, that you don't do Bak!!!!

and what's a an SB concoction?? I just meant that like, for some people, CKT is like, not the real thing... i mean, a caffe latte is one thing, why go double de-caf etc etc...

OH, I give up!

[spaghetttti]

Pein, heheh...I knew what you meant, also remember that I'm in Java, therefore, I drink real coffee...none of that nonsense stuff!

SB=Starbucks...which we happen to have here, as a matter of fact, down the street from my office. But you didn't hear that from me, ok?

So, should I try the Chik Kut Teh, yea or nay?

Edited November 10, 2005 by spaghetttti (log)

[PCL]

Look, I've had it, and it ain't so bad, so by all means, knock yourself out! But I don't like CKT with breast meat. In fact, I don't like chicken breast at all... except in drunken chicken...

In my opinion, dark meat from chicken works better in CKT. There was like a chain restaurant in KL, Mungo Jerry's... can't believe I remembered that!!!... that sold CKT.

With CKT, the soup is only subtly different from a pork based soup. Less fatty I think and less meaty in taste, but the gist of it is there... I guess...

And Starbucks.... oh... empire of evil....

[SG-]

I ordered it once here in the States at some Malaysian restaurant.  It taste quite medicinal...Should it taste like that?

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It's medicinal but in a good way, I hated it as a child but have come to love it over the years. You could consider it to be an acquired taste.

I tried it once though at Penang in NYC just for kicks, terrible rendition does no justice to the original.

[aprilmei]

Look, I've had it, and it ain't so bad, so by all means, knock yourself out! But I don't like CKT with breast meat. In fact, I don't like chicken breast at all... except in drunken chicken...

In my opinion, dark meat from chicken works better in CKT. There was like a chain restaurant in KL, Mungo Jerry's... can't believe I remembered that!!!... that sold CKT.

With CKT, the soup is only subtly different from a pork based soup. Less fatty I think and less meaty in taste, but the gist of it is there... I guess... 

And Starbucks.... oh... empire of evil....

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Is CKT cooked for as long as BKT? Because I would think that if it were, the chicken would be so overcooked it would be inedible, even the dark meat.

[trillium]

The one time I had it at a friend's house her mum cooked the herbal part without the chicken and then added the chicken later so it wouldn't over-cook. And she used a combo of wings and thighs to try and give it that oily texture. I think a stewing hen would even better, so it could cook in the herbs a long time.

regards,

trillium

[PCL]

Just going from first principles, to avoid the chicken drying issue, I'd suggest simmering the herbs with chicken broth.

Or if it seems that simmering with a chunk of breast meat/thigh meat improves flavour, then doing so might be the way to go provided a second batch can be added a'la minute for serving up.

This could be the Thomas Keller approach to CKT!!!

Edited to add: Um, I think trillium already said what i just did

Edited November 11, 2005 by PCL (log)

[Tepee]

Here's the BKT I slow-cooked 2 dinners ago.

[jackal10]

Yumm!

[spaghetttti]

Here's the BKT I slow-cooked 2 dinners ago.

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Where's the soup?

[Tepee]

Well, I certainly didn't throw it away! Most of the soup is in another bowl together with the tofu puffs; it wasn't photogenic, so I didn't include it.

[aznsailorboi]

It's been forever since I've had BKT, well coz first my mom always makes them at home, but since i moved out i havnt gotten the chance to cook it myself(been about 4 and a half yrs now). Although the herbs she uses are quite suspicious as they look like they've been sitting on the asian grocery shelf since the store opened......i wonder if the herbal properties have decreased in time, and some of them have been treated with sulfites as a preservative.

Tepee- do you have the scientific name of the herbs? at least I won't have to bust out my half decent mandarin in chinatown ....and made fun of by the old chinese lady behind the counter hehehe

Also, anybody heard of Si But/ Si Wu (hokkien/ mandarin) before? I'm not sure if thats the version of CKT. The soup literally translate to "four things soup" the herbs are as follows: Angelica Sinensis root, Astralgus bark/root, Rhemania Glutinosa root, and White Peony stem slices/root, they almost smell like BKT after simmering in the claypot for half a day on just below boiling and we use chicken(the one with black skin), but can also use pork, mainly the hocks and some meaty soup bones. My mom makes this soup once a month for her and my sis....so sometimes twice...hehe, she said its a post PMS food, so me my brother and my dad just go with it....trust me WE DONT MIND!!!

[Ce'nedra]

I've heard of this Bak Kut Teh for awhile now but never got the chance to try it Sounds so warming.

Do you have to make it from a packet or can it be done from scratch? If so, how?

[Ce'nedra]

Oh btw, I never knew that there was Bak Kut Teh noodle soup?

Clickety click: http://www.flickr.com/photos/burpsean/268304011/

Anyone ever tried this or has a recipe for it? I'm very much interested!

[Laksa]

I've heard of this Bak Kut Teh for awhile now but never got the chance to try it Sounds so warming.

Do you have to make it from a packet or can it be done from scratch? If so, how?

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Depends on what you mean by "scratch". If you do not wish to use the factory packaged herbs, you could go to your neighborhood Chinese herbalist who has good knowledge of BKT and ask him to put together a "house-blend" packet for you. For this to be a reasonable proposition, you probably have to be in Malaysia or Singapore. After it's done cooking, have fun fishing out all the inedible bits of roots and berries from the soup.

If you want to take it further, you could go forage for the roots yourself, and dry them etc... but I have not heard of anyone doing that.

[Tepee]

Oh btw, I never knew that there was Bak Kut Teh noodle soup?

Clickety click: http://www.flickr.com/photos/burpsean/268304011/

Anyone ever tried this or has a recipe for it? I'm very much interested!

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Bak Kut Teh is a meaty soup or a soupy meat dish. Whichever way, the precious flavourful soup is there! How easy it is to add noodles to it. Personally, I feel white rice is the best carb partner for BKT, submitting and playing a quiet supporting role to the rich flavour of the soup. Together it's comfort food.

Hey there, Laksa.