Bah Kut Teh

Ingredients

• 6 dried shitake mushrooms
• 1½ lb pork spareribs
• 1 whole bulb garlic, unpeeled and slightly crushed
• 2 inches ginseng root, peeled and slightly crushed
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 5 star anise pods
• 1 tbsp white peppercorns
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• to taste salt
• to taste pepper

Steps

1. Soak the dried shitake mushrooms in 240 ml boiling water to reconstitute.
2. Slice into strips when soft; reserve the liquid for cooking.
3. In a stockpot, cover the spareribs with cold water.
4. Parboil the ribs until froth rises to the surface.
5. Drain the spareribs.
6. Briefly rinse the spareribs under cold running water, and drain again.
7. In a casserole pan add the parboiled spare ribs, garlic bulb, ginseng root, shitake mushrooms, reserved liquid and additional water (to cover the meat).
8. Wrap the cinnamon, star anise, white and black peppercorns in cheesecloth.
9. Tie with string, and add to the pan.
10. Gradually bring to a boil.
11. Cover and reduce heat to simmer until the pork is very tender (about 45–60 minutes); occasionally skim off fat from the surface.
12. When the meat is almost falling off the bones, discard the spice bag.
13. Season with salt and pepper and add the dark soy sauce and sugar.