Is bak kut teh a dish that started in Hat Yai?
It is not presented as a dish that originated in Hat Yai. It is a Chinese dish you meet in the Songkhla area, and a way to learn about the area’s varied food culture.
Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh · บักกุ๊ดเต๋
If you want a warm bowl of broth for a meal on a trip to Hat Yai, choose bak kut teh. Pork ribs are simmered with herbs and aromatics. In the Songkhla area it is presented as a soup with a Chinese herbal aroma. If you eat pork, have it slowly with rice.
Bakutteh · Indradi Soemardjan http://www.indrani.net · CC BY 2.5
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What does it taste like?
The aroma of herbs and aromatics joins the broth in which the pork ribs were simmered. The colour and richness of the broth vary with the recipe. Alternate between ribs and broth and enjoy the scent.
The broth also uses pork. If you avoid pork, choose another dish.
The basics
- Dish
- Bak Kut Teh · Bak Kut Teh
- Thai name
- บักกุ๊ดเต๋
- Type
- Soups and curries
- Region
- South · A Chinese dish enjoyed in the Songkhla area
- Main ingredients
- Pork ribs simmered with herbs and aromatics. Other ingredients and sides differ from menu to menu.
The dish and where it comes from
Bak kut teh is one of the Chinese dishes you meet in the Songkhla area. It does not mean it was first made in Hat Yai. On a day when you want a meal different from crispy fried chicken, you could have pork rib broth with rice.
How to order and eat it
- First think about whether it is a dish to choose with companions who eat pork. The standard bak kut teh uses pork ribs.
- Look at whether rice and side dishes come with it, and order.
- Eat the ribs, then take the broth a spoonful at a time. Have it with rice, enjoying the aroma of herbs and aromatics.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone who does not eat pork have it?
The standard bak kut teh contains pork ribs. If you avoid pork, it is better to choose another dish. Please note that even the broth alone is a dish made with pork.
More dishes and cities to explore
Official sources and references
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
Sharing image credit: Indradi Soemardjan http://www.indrani.net · CC BY 2.5