Canadian Ginseng Bak Kut Teh Recipe 加拿大西洋参肉骨茶

I eat a simple ginseng bak kut teh at least once a month for the health benefits of ginseng. My favourite cut of pork rib is known in Singapore as 龍骨 or "dragon bone". I like to cook it with fresh Canadian ginseng for its mellow sweet and unique ginseng taste.

Canadian ginseng (Panax Quinquefolious), also known as North American ginseng is native to Canada, and like the Chinese, Canadian First Nations used ginseng for medicinal purposes since thousands of years ago.

Because the ginseng root looks like a man, Chinese call ginseng 人蔘 which means "man root" while Canadian First Nations call it Garent-oguen which means "like a man".

Canadian Ginseng has been traded since 1717 and was Canada’s first trade with China. It has been primarily exported to Asia where it is highly valued for its perceived superior quality and sweeter taste.

Today, Canada's Ontario province is the world's largest grower and exporter of North American Ginseng as Ontario's soil and climate are ideal for cultivating the delicate ginseng plant.

I've been making soup and tea with ginseng regularly as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the "man root" fortifies the essential systems of our body, including our immune system. It also helps the youngsters with the stress they face in the office.

At first, I drank Korean ginseng which is yang 阳 or "heaty 热" in nature. Later, I found out that Canadian ginseng is ying 阴 or "cooling 寒". As Singapore is in the tropics with its humid and hot climate, we need Canadian ginseng a little more for its cooling effect.

In Singapore, I get my Canadian ginseng from Wing Thye Loong Ginseng & Herbs, conveniently located at Upper Cross Street just beside Hong Lim Food Centre and at the doorstep of Chinatown MRT station (exit E).

Wing Thye Loong has the full range of Canadian ginseng products from dried, sliced to powders and even fresh raw ginseng air flown from Ontario, Canada. Wing Thye Loong has been in the ginseng business in Singapore for over 80 years, is partner with ginseng growers in Ontario and a member of Ontario Ginseng Growers Association for nearly 30 years. At Wing Thye Loong, I am confident that I am getting genuine, quality Canadian ginseng.

Through the years, we made soup with ginseng either with chicken or pork. We boil it together with goji berries, jujube, figs, longan, black pepper, garlic, etc., but nowadays, I prefer to boil the meat with just ginseng and goji berry (and nothing else). Simple is the best way to the enjoy the taste of quality ingredients and get maximum health benefits.

As a bak kut teh fan who enjoys both the peppery Teochew style and savoury herbal Hokkien version of the pork bone soup dish, I like to make my own version of bak kut teh with Canadian ginseng. It's really easy to make, tastes good and beneficial for our body.

Ingredients are 500 grams of pork ribs, 20 grams of fresh or dry Canadian ginseng, 5-10 goji berries, and 1.5 litres of water. This recipe serves two and the ginseng bak kut teh is eaten with plain boiled white rice.

Start by blanching the pork ribs in boiling water for 3 minutes to remove scum and coagulates.

Put the pork ribs and ginseng into the pressure cooker pot. I use boiling water so that the pressure cooker reaches the required pressure quicker. I set the cooking mode to soup (which is 20 minutes cooking time on my pressure cooker).

After the soup is cooked, set the pressure cooker aside for 20-30 minutes to let the pressure release naturally. Drop the washed goji berries into the soup.

The ginseng bak kut teh is ready.

The clear soup has a unique mellow sweetness which is a harmonious blend of pork sweetness and ginseng sweetness. Fresh ginseng has less of the bitterness than dried ginseng root. The soup also has the unique aroma of ginseng. 

The meat is fall-of-the-bone tender as good bak kut teh pork ribs should be. The meat tastes naturally sweet and is subtly infused with the sweetness of ginseng. Canadian ginseng is sweeter and more aromatic than other ginsengs which makes it perfect in our traditional soup.

Sometimes, I make peppery Singapore Teochew style bak kut teh with ginseng, especially during the rainy, wet season. I love the gently spicy taste of garlic and black pepper blended with the sweetness of Canadian ginseng. This soup is ying and yang balanced, so it gives me the warming effect of garlic and pepper together with the fortifying effects of ginseng.

In Singapore, eating bak kut teh and drinking Chinese tea always go hand in hand. Drinking tea is part and parcel of Singapore bak kut teh culture.

I make tea with ginseng simply by pouring hot water over dried Canadian ginseng slices and let it steep for a while. Ginseng tea quenches thirst, is invigorating and I like the calming fragrance of ginseng. The best complement for ginseng bak kut teh is ginseng tea.

I will be trying out more recipes using North American ginseng from Ontario, Canada.

This post is a collaboration between Johor Kaki and Ontario Ginseng Growers Association.

                  

Written by Tony Boey on 18 Apr 2022