A truly Malaysian-Chinese dish, Bah Kut Teh originated from Klang a few decades ago from Klang in Selangor state. It was prepared by a stall owner under a bridge for coolies in the area who smoked opium. As their taste buds were affected by the drug, they lacked their sense of taste. What the stall owner did was boil pork ribs and intestines in strong Chinese medical herbs, creating a stew that was ripe with aroma. From there, Bah Kut Teh caught on and became a nation-wide phenomenon.
Today, there is even Chik Kut Teh, a chicken-based version of the stew but it is considered a pale simulacrum of the original. Bah Kut Teh is usually eaten with a bowl of rice and drunk with tea as the dish is quite oily. Bah Kut Teh is so good, that Chinese will drive from one state to the other to find a stall that serves it well. It is widely available in most states but the best still comes from its birthplace – Klang.
catherinelowkharyan 