Singapore Hawkers: Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh (Ang Mo Kio)

Bak Kut Teh from the Hokkien dialect literally translates to "Pork Bone Tea". Pork ribs simmered in a peppery broth and usually accompanied by rice. There are 2 main types of Bak Kut Teh based on 2 different chinese dialects in Singapore. The "Teochew" style is represented in a light coloured broth while the "Hokkien" style stands out with its dark coloured broth.
One of the better known stalls in the north of Singapore is Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh. It's located in Blk 341 Teck Ghee Court Hawker Centre. The stall is facing Bishan Park along the main road of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and looks like so: 


My colleagues and I went there during lunch mid-week to get our Bak Kut Teh (BKT) fix. Here's what we ordered:

Now let's focus on the individual dishes:
1) Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Soup):

There was bite to the meat, yet it was quite tender and slipped easily off the bone. The soup was not overly peppered but was a tad salty this time. Just thinking how it would be even more excellent on a cold and rainy day.

2) Ter Ka (Pig Trotters):

Ter Ka in the Teochew and Hokkien dialects literally means Pig's Legs/Trotters. A common method to prepare trotters here is to braise it in dark soya sauce. What we have here is an excellent example of braised pig trotters done right. The meat is soft and tender, the skin is gelatin-like and evenly flavoured throughout.The gravy is extremely dark and although it is supposed to be salty, has a slightly sweet edge to it and goes very well with rice. This is the unanimous favourite among my lunch kakis. If the Bak Kut Teh is supposed to be the main star of the show, then this is the dark horse that stole the show and plaudits from the crowd. Bravo! Bravo! Encore! Definite Must Try :D

3) Salted Vegetables :

This variation of salted vegetables sometimes called Cai Buay (tail of the vegetable) is cooked till the vegees are extremely soft. Too much meat in one sitting can be overwhelming to some and this dish is your source of fibre here and brings greater balance to the meal (much like how Anakin Skywalker brought balance to the Force haha yah right). The version offered here doesn't really stand out but is not too salty and is a great accompaniment to the meal. You may also see this offered at Braised Duck, Kway Chap (Braised Pig innards) and Teochew Porridge stalls.

4) Yew Char Kway(Dough Fritters)

Yew Char Kway (Teochew / Hokkien) or Fried Dough Fritters or You Tiao(In Mandarin) are commonly taken during breakfast by itself or together with Soya Bean Curd (Dou Hua) or Rice Porridge. I know some people who dip it in Coffee too. The version featured here is nothing to shout about and is not crispy and a little too chewy. To be fair, if you want to get good Yew Char Kway, you have to get it from those who specialise in it. You can give this a miss unless you absolutely must have it with your soup.
The total damage for the 3 of us was S$27.50. The breakdown:
3 bowls of pork rib soup for S$18
1 bowl of pig trotters for S$5,
1 bowl of Salted Vegetables for S$1
2 portions of Dough Fritters for S$2
3 bowls of rice for $1.50
Which works out to be about S$9 per person. Not exactly a cheap meal but Bak Kut Teh is never cheap these days. To sum up, the Bak Kut Teh served here is food to warm the heart (and if you have too many pig trotters, to clog the heart as well).


Taste Verdict: Tasty and refreshing Bak Kut Teh soup with tender ribs, Excellent Braised Ter Ka (Pig trotters), when combined with Salted Vegetables and a bowl of rice make a winning combination!  


Prices: S$6 (per bowl of pork rib soup), 
S$5 (per portion of Pig trotters), 
S$1 (per portion of salted vegetables), 
S$1  (per portion of dough fritters)


Where: Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh
Blk 341 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, 
#01-04 Teck Ghee Court Market & Food Centre