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This Bak Kut Teh recipe, or Pork Ribs Soup, is a traditional Singapore style dish commonly eaten for breakfast. It is deliciously meaty, peppery and so ultra comforting, and comes together quickly in the Instant Pot!

bowl of soup with ribs, mushrooms, tofu and chilies

What is Bak Kut Teh?

Bak Kut Teh is a meaty pork bone soup made by simmering pork ribs in a broth of garlic, herbs and spices. Popular in Malaysia, Singapore and China, there are a couple different versions of this soup. It's commonly eaten for breakfast, but I'll eat it any time of the day!

This Bak Kut Teh recipe is more similar to the Singapore version, which tends to be lighter and more peppery.

Malaysian style Bak Kut Teh tends to be much more herbal, often with ingredients that can be more difficult to find in the US. Learn how to make Malaysian Bak Kut Teh.

Jump to:

What is Bak Kut Teh?
The Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Step By Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Favorite Asian Inspired Recipes
Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Recipe
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The Ingredients

Baby back ribs work the best because they are shorter and easier to fit in a bowl. However, any pork ribs can be substituted in a pinch.

Kecap Manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce that tastes slightly like molasses. It's served with the Thai chilies as a dipping sauce for the pork. Buy Kecap Manis.

Star anise is a whole spice shaped like a star that has a flavor reminiscent of licorice. Buy Star Anise.

Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency, and tends to have a more intense flavor (check out these substitutes for dark soy sauce). It is less salty than it's lighter counterpart. Buy Dark Soy Sauce.

Palm sugar is an unrefined sugar with a deep flavor that is hard to replicate. Dark brown sugar would be the closest substitute. Buy Palm Sugar.

Oyster sauce is made with oysters and soy sauce, and has a slightly sweet, umami taste. It's used in a lot of Chinese and other dishes. Buy Oyster Sauce.

You can make your own pork broth, or you can buy pork broth.

The whole list of ingredients and quantities is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Why This Recipe Works

- The Instant Pot helps this dish to come together quicker, without sacrificing flavor;

- Cut pork ribs add the perfect amount of fattiness to the broth, and are almost fall off the bone tender when eaten;

- The Indonesian sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) makes a perfect dipping sauce for the pork ribs;

- Bak Kut Teh is served with a side of steamed rice, Thai chilies and kecap manis to make a whole, flavor packed meal.

Step By Step Instructions

First, remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Watch this video on how to remove the membrane. Then, using a cleaver or sharp knife, cut the ribs into individual ribs.

Boil the pork ribs in a large pot for 10-15 minute. This helps to clean them and ensures that your soup broth is clear. Drain the ribs.

Add all ingredients except the green onions, tofu, Thai chilies and Kecap manis to the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.

Use the quick release to release the pressure and turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting.

instant pot filled with ribs and seasonings

Add the green onions and tofu cubes and simmer for 3 minutes.

soup in an instant pot with green onions

Turn the Instant Pot off and serve soup in bowls garnished with Thai chilies. Serve with a side of Kecap manis and Thai chilies for dipping, and well as a side of rice.

ribs, tofu, mushroom, chilies and green onions in broth with chopsticks

How to Keep the Soup Clear

Boiling and rinsing/scrubbing the ribs after boiling is essential for making sure you have a nice, clear broth. Boiling the ribs allows the blood to cook out of the bones. Rinsing them after boiling ensures all this blood has been rinsed off.

Serving Options

Serve with a side of steamed white rice;
Serve with slices of chilies and Kecap Manis (Malaysian sweet soy sauce - link to buy in the recipe card);
Serve with a side of Sauteed Greens (like these from Omnivores Cookbook).

bowl of soup with rice and chilies on the side

Expert Tips

- To keep the soup clear, make sure to boil and rinse the pork ribs before adding them to the Instant Pot. This helps to clean the ribs and enables any blood to cook out that would normally cloud a broth.

- Add as many or few Thai chilies as garnish as you prefer. They can be very spicy, so be careful!

- If you prefer less fall-off-the-bone tender pork, decrease the pressure cook time to 40 minutes.

- Regular soy sauce can be substituted for dark soy sauce if needed.

- Dark brown sugar can be substituted for palm sugar.

- You can substitute hoisin sauce for the kecap manis, but the flavor will be slightly different.

- The tofu puffs can be left out if desired, however, I highly recommend them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make bak kut teh ahead of time? This soup can be made in advance. I recommend not adding the tofu puff until reheating. reheat on the stove and bring to simmering. Add the tofu and cook 2-3 minutes. Serve.

Is bak kut teh healthy? It is commonly thought that bak kut teh is healthy due to it's herbal qualities. However, the Singapore version has less herbs. Also, the pork ribs contain saturated fat, which is not healthy.

Can you freeze bak kut teh? You can freeze this soup, however, the tofu puffs do not reheat very well. If you plan to freeze it, don't add the tofu puffs. Add them when reheated to simmering on the stove. Can be store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Favorite Asian Inspired Recipes

Easy Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Vietnamese Pho;
Instant Pot Ramen;
Instant Pot Coq Au Vin;
Instant Pot Paprika Chicken;
Browse ALL the Instant Pot Recipes!!

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