The Origin of Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is undoubtedly one of the most popular Malaysian Chinese dish everywhere. Klang is particularly famous for Bak Kut Teh where you can find many shops and hawker stalls selling Bak Kut Teh in its many variations.


If you are a Bak Kut Teh fan, here's a trivia for you - where do you think is the origin of Bak Kut Teh? Undisputably, most will insist it is a Malaysian dish (perhaps some Singaporeans might differ on this) but where exactly is it from? Some people remarked that it must be from Klang as this is where Bak Kut Teh is most famous. Well, this is partly correct. According to the most plausible version of the story, Bak Kut Teh was invented by a gentleman from Quanzhou of the Fujian province in China. The secret recipe was passed to a friend who later went to Klang and became the first person to commercialise and sell Bak Kut Teh. The dish went on to become a famous dish and was copied and improved many times over. So according to this version the Hokkiens were the inventors of the dish. The Teochews came later and the main visual difference between the Hokkien and Teochew version of Bak Kut Teh is that the Hokkiens use dark soy sauce and thus the soup base is characteristically darker in colour. It is up to the individual's taste buds which one tastes better.


Bak Kut Teh was originally served in an octagonal bowl of short depth. Later variations tend to serve the dish in clay pot which we think only serves to keep the heat. Some swears it adds to the taste while others (traditionalists) seem to think it is just another gimmick to provide product differentiation. One thing for sure, the clay pot version usually comes added with extra ingredients like straw mushrooms, lettuce or abalone into the dish. Perhaps the traditionalists are right, it's just a gimmick for an excuse to charge more. What's your view?

The Origin of Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is undoubtedly one of the most popular Malaysian Chinese dish everywhere. Klang is particularly famous for Bak Kut Teh where you can find many shops and hawker stalls selling Bak Kut Teh in its many variations.

If you are a Bak Kut Teh fan, here's a trivia for you - where do you think is the origin of Bak Kut Teh? Undisputably, most will insist it is a Malaysian dish (perhaps some Singaporeans might differ on this) but where exactly is it from? Some people remarked that it must be from Klang as this is where Bak Kut Teh is most famous. Well, this is partly correct. According to the most plausible version of the story, Bak Kut Teh was invented by a gentleman from Quanzhou of the Fujian province in China. The secret recipe was passed to a friend who later went to Klang and became the first person to commercialise and sell Bak Kut Teh. The dish went on to become a famous dish and was copied and improved many times over. So according to this version the Hokkiens were the inventors of the dish. The Teochews came later and the main visual difference between the Hokkien and Teochew version of Bak Kut Teh is that the Hokkiens use dark soy sauce and thus the soup base is characteristically darker in colour. It is up to the individual's taste buds which one tastes better.

Bak Kut Teh was originally served in an octagonal bowl of short depth (obviously to keep profit margins high!). Later variations tend to serve the dish in clay pot which we think only serves to keep the heat. Some swears it adds to the taste while others (traditionalists) seem to think it is just another gimmick to provide product differentiation. One thing for sure, the clay pot version usually comes added with extra ingredients like straw mushrooms, lettuce or abalone into the dish. Perhaps the traditionalists are right, it's just a gimmick for an excuse to charge more.

'Halal' Bak Kut Teh at fabulous Food event

The 'Halal'version of "Bak Kut Teh", a popular Chinese dish, can be savoured at the "Fabulous Food 1Malaysia" event at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) from 18th - 20th December 2009.

The dish will be prepared by the executive chef of the JW Marriot Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Zaffar Abdul Samad, for 300 people daily.

According to Eileen Chew, The Director of Projects & Public Relations of Expomal International, who is organising the event with Tourism Malaysia, the traditional food of the Malay community, like nasi lemak, which can be savoured by all Malaysians, they also want Bak Kut Teh which is among the popular Chinese dish to be experienced by other communities.

The halal Bak Kut Teh dish will have chicken, seafood & vegetables as the ingredients, and will be cooked with 10 types of herbs, including angelica, cloves & orange peel.

Roasted Items to be supplied / 供应混合烧味食品

Good news to all Chinese restaurant operators, we are now supplying!
In light of the recent demands for Chinese Style (non-halal) roast delicacies, it is our pleasure to announce that we are now supplying roasted items at a wholesale basis as a support to your current businesses at very reasonable prices!
The roasted items available are:
a) Roast Duck RM43.00nett/kg
b) Roast Chicken RM28.00nett/kg
c) Barbecued Pork RM28.00nett/kg
d) Roast Pork RM36.00nett/kg
For more details and arrangements, please call Mr. Chen at 016-575 2262 or email mtxkopitiam@gmail.com.
*We provide FREE delivery within the city area.
*Price can be further negotiated base on amount of order.

Let us help you to increase your revenue!


好消息！！！满天下美食店现在开始供应混合烧味食品给中餐馆经营者。。。
为了配合市场对于中式烧味的需求，满天下美食店将以合理的价格大量的批发混合烧味食品。
满天下美食店的混合烧味食品有：
i. 烧鸭 RM43.00nett/kg
ii. 烧鸡 RM28.00nett/kg
iii. 叉烧 RM28.00nett/kg
iv. 烧肉 RM36.00nett/kg

请拨电于Mr. Chen 016 575 2262或登录http://mantianxia.t35.com/ 查询详情资料。
*我们提供免费运送（只限于市区以内）
*价格可以商量
让我们为您服务！！！

Imagine yourself seated at a quaint corner in a busy city, not bothered by the passing people and truly indulged in an aromatic and delectable smell and taste of hundreds year old cuisine, the ‘Bak Kut Teh’.

Perfected over the years from generations of trials and errors, Man Tian Xia Kopitiam has finally reached that edge of bringing out the best in this world renowned cuisine. Combining the medicinal properties and distinct flavour with a pinch of esoteric ingredients for that ‘wow’ effect, Man Tian Xia Kopitiam’s main cuisine; ‘Bak Kut Teh’ is something worth trying out at anytime of the day.

Complementing the main cuisine are choices of roast items such as duck, chicken and barbecued pork (simply known as Char Siu in Chinese). So drop by at Man Tian Xia Kopitiam and share with us your thoughts on the servings!


想象自己在一个繁忙的城市角落中和无人打扰的环境下享受精心特备秘传的吉隆坡肉骨茶， 只在于满天下美食店！它是由多種不同的中藥及香料，配以豬排骨、豬腳脛肉或內臟、冬菇、磨菇、金針菇、白菜煮成的香味濃郁的肉湯，通常會有豆腐 卜、鹵豬腳或豬腳醋、油菜、甜菜、油條等配菜伴白飯同吃，吃的時候將煮得軟硬適中排骨蘸上由醬油、生抽、蒜米、辣椒混合成的醬料、油條放進湯里浸一浸再入 口，包你意猶未盡連扒兩碗白飯。當然，由于口味重加上葷多餘素，所以容易感覺膩，沏一壺好茶來調合一下更是不可少的。近乎完美的口味挑逗了人们的味蕾， 满天下美食店，随时等候您来品尝我们招牌的肉骨茶！除此之外，满天下美食店也另售混合烧味食品，包括烧肉，叉烧，烧鸡以及烧鸭。心动不如行动，我们期待你的品尝！

肉骨茶則是早在中國移民南洋時流傳下來的，時至今日，肉骨茶已發展成著名的美食，是亚庇当地華人最具特色的晚餐。除了以新鮮排骨熬湯，還當然少不了上乘藥材，如當歸、黨參、甘草、枸杞子、白胡椒等，經過長時間的炖煮，才能使藥材的味道滲入排骨中。肉骨茶具生血、旺血、補氣的功效，可謂男女皆宜的補品。肉骨茶－香料及中藥藥材的風味洋溢，肉質細嫩；吃的時候再配一點甜醬油和辣椒，細嚼慢嚥，加上一碗白米飯，更襯托肉骨茶的濃醇滋味。再沏上一壺好茶，即使是在炎炎夏日，吃得滿頭大汗仍然大呼過癮!


Originally brought in by the Nanyang Chinese immigrants to Malaysia, Bak Kut Teh is now a well-known cuisine among the local Chinese in Kota Kinabalu.
Sometimes consumed as an anti-rheumatism remedy and to improve blood circulation, Bah Kut Teh is a combination of Chinese medicinal herbs and spicy flavours. Dip in a little sweet soy sauce and pepper, the tendered fresh pork ribs and meat would be tastier and best enjoyed with a bowl of white rice.
The preparation to prepare a broth of fresh pork ribs requires several herbal ingredients such as, chinese angelica, codonopsis, licorice root, wolfberry fruit and white pepper among many other things, giving the ribs and soup its flavour after a long period of stewing.
While having Bak Kut Teh on a hot day, add on a pot of Chinese tea for that refreshing moments before, during and after every meal.

Roasted items such as Roast Chicken and Duck, Roast Chicken Drumstick and Duck Drumstick, Roast Pork & Pork Rib and Barbeque Pork are also served, offering a nicely crisped, finger licking gastronomic experience. All these are usually served with rice or noodle with soup of the day and price ranges from RM5.50 to RM7.00. For something much closer to home, do try out our Stewed Pork Trotters and Rice Wine Chicken
for only RM8.00 a bowl.

No one would’ve guessed that a quaint open air restaurant would have something splendid to offer with very reasonable prices, and the best thing about this place is that, all the dishes which can normally be obtained at night are served in the afternoon. So what are you waiting for, rush over to Man Tian Xia Kopitiam and partake in what we have to offer!
For a preview of what ‘Man Tian Xia Kopitiam’ has to offer, please log on to http://mantianxia.t35.com/ or call 016 575 2262 for more details.

Have you tried our delicately prepared Bak Kut Teh with special ingredients passed down from generations? If you haven’t, I strongly suggest that you do and tell us what you think!
Aside from our salivating Bak Kut Teh main menu, Man Tian Xia Kopitiam also serves four types of casseroles, which are, ‘Steamed Minced Meat with Preserved Radish’, ‘Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage’, ‘Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms’ and ‘Braised “Fa Nam” Pork with Salted Fish’. The interesting aspect about these dishes are, the combination of each set results in a unique flavour atypical to the other restaurants around and only available at Man Tian Xia Kopitiam. These set menus include soup of the day and steamed rice, and are sold in the price range of RM6.00 to RM6.50.

肉骨茶 (Bak Kut Teh)

肉骨茶的故事
肉骨茶，可能很多人会误认是一种茶品名称，其实，此"茶"非彼"茶"，这是一道在马来西亚（甚至东南亚）家喻户晓的排骨药材汤，与茶并没有一丝关连。 真正由来无从思考，但一般说法认为是源自早期于南洋橡胶园工作的华人苦工，因他们需要大量体力劳动，故在早餐时候会吃一些营养丰富的食物，并加入一些补气活血的中药材，让身体更有力气，遂有肉骨茶的出现。

肉骨茶，可能很多人会误认是一种茶品名称，其实，此"茶"非彼"茶"，这是一道在马来西亚（甚至东南亚）家喻户晓的排骨药材汤，与茶并没有一丝关连。 真正由来无从思考，但一般说法认为是源自早期于南洋橡胶园工作的华人苦工，因他们需要大量体力劳动，故在早餐时候会吃一些营养丰富的食物，并加入一些补气活血的中药材，让身体更有力气，遂有肉骨茶的出现。

肉骨茶具有生血、旺血和补气的功效，对女性有滋补养颜的功效，对男性则有补肾的作用。" 可谓男女皆宜的补品。吃的时候再配一点甜酱油和辣椒，轻呷慢咽，加一碗白米饭，更能衬托肉骨茶的浓醇滋味。如再沏上一壶好茶，即使是在炎炎夏日吃得满头大汗仍然会大呼过瘾。
如果您没有来过吉隆玻或是也不曾品尝过美味的肉骨茶，没关系！现在就让座落在亚庇市的满天下茶餐厅带您走一趟肉骨茶之旅，让您大开眼界，瞧瞧肉骨茶有多「厉害」。

看看这道美食从过去到现在如何变身，从古老味一变再变，变出种种令人涶涎三尺的好口味！ 其实，传统的肉骨茶是盛在画有公鸡图样的大碗公里，通常伴白饭、油饭或以油条蘸汤来吃，而肉骨茶的好拍挡─红椒丝，是不可缺的配料，至于口味较重的朋友可以酱油、小辣椒和蒜蓉来调味。

The Story of Bak Kut Teh
Most people who aren’t familiar with Chinese cuisines might find the name ‘bak kut teh’ as something in relation to tea products. Technically it is, but only by name, but we’ll get to that as we go along the story. So for now, we’ll just say that Bak Kut Teh has nothing to do with tea products (until proven otherwise), in fact, it’s pork ribs broiled in medicinal soup and well known not only in Malaysia but expands throughout Southeast Asia.

The history of Bak Kut Teh in Malaysia can be traced back all the way from the late Qing period. In order to flee the tumultuous country which has fallen into turmoil, the Chinese immigrants sailed the vast ocean throughout Southeast Asia and eventually landed to this country, which was then known as ‘Malaya’. Being a foreigner in a strange land and academically uneducated, hard labour was all they could do to eek a living and to survive they need extra nutrients to fortify their strength and stamina, ideally meat for energy and traditional medicinal herbs for stamina and well-being. But getting their hands on a piece of meat requires monetary exchange and that’s one thing they couldn’t afford, so instead of buying meat, they hunted for it. Luckily, wild boars and pigs freely roamed the jungle and that’s how pork became the choice for the recipe. Now, the olden people in the days would normally broil soup with medicinal properties and they would refer to it as ‘tea’ (hence its relation by name), but preparing two separate dishes are time consuming and a waste of resources, being innovative they decided to combine both while maintaining its beneficial properties and thus Bak Kut Teh is born.

Bak Kut Teh is not only delicious and rich in nutrients, aside from its capability to sustain hunger for a period of time its medicinal properties can be anti-rheumatic and improves the blood circulation. Gradually, the Bak Kut Teh soon became the new favourite food for all.

If you haven’t been to Kuala Lumpur and try out the delicious Bak Kut Teh, it does not matter! Let the Man Tian Xia Kopitiam which is located right in the heart of Kota Kinabalu give you an eye opener and tantalize everyone’s palates with its superb recipe.
Bak Kut Teh is usually eaten with rice, and often served with “youtiao” (strips of fried dough) for dipping into soup. Soy sauce is preferred as a condiment, with which chopped ‘chilli padi’ and garlic minces are taken together. Chinese tea of various kinds is also usually served in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.

您渴望在白天里享用肉骨茶吗? 座落于亚庇中心MAA商业大厦隔壁的“满天下美食店”可让大家品尝各式各样以及脍炙人口的美食，并以它的肉骨茶为焦点。
“满天下美食店”精心特备秘传的吉隆坡肉骨茶， 以它近乎完美的口味挑逗了人们的味蕾。心动不如行动，我们期待你的品尝！

对于满天下美食店的预览，请登录http://mantianxia.t35.com/ 或拨电016 575 2262查询详情资料。

Introduction to Man Tian Xia Kopitiam

Craving for “Bak Kut Teh” in the day time? Well, look no further! Located adjacent to the MAA building at Api-Api Centre, Kota Kinabalu, ‘Man Tian Xia Kopitiam’ - a quaint non-halal Chinese food stall is open to anyone to partake in their wide range of sumptuous cuisines with the famous “Bak Kut Teh” as its main attraction.

Delicately prepared with special ingredients passed down from generations, our unique “Bak Kut Teh” is broiled down to near perfection, tantalizing everyone’s palates with its superb sapidity. But don’t simply take our word for it, try it out and be your own judge!

For a preview of what ‘Man Tian Xia Kopitiam’ has to offer, please log on to http://mantianxia.t35.com/ or call 016 575 2262 for more details.

Enjoy 25% discount after *9.30pm on selected available dishes as all food items are replaced daily to maintain its quality & freshness. Please contact Vincent (016-575 2262) for further details. (*10.30pm on Saturdays)
您可在9.30晚上以后在我们选定的食品享受25%的折扣，以保持食品的质度和新鲜度。 详情资料请联络Vincent 先生于016-575 2262. *(星期六营业至10.30晚上)