Some weeknights, you just want a warm, comforting bowl without spending an hour at the stove. The good news? The right soup base does almost all the heavy lifting for you. Pour it in, drop in your favourite ingredients, and dinner practically cooks itself.
Tonight we're turning our best-selling Handmade Teochew Pork Balls into a cosy, steamboat-style one-pot meal — this time simmered in a fragrant bak kut teh broth instead of the usual collagen or steamboat base. It's the same beloved pork balls, just dressed in a peppery, herbal soup that tastes like it took all day.
What you'll need
- 1 packet bak kut teh soup base
- 1 pack Handmade Teochew Pork Balls (250gm)
- A handful of tau pok (beancurd puffs)
- Enoki or shiitake mushrooms
- Leafy greens (xiao bai cai, lettuce or spinach)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- Cooked rice, to serve
Steps
- Pour the bak kut teh soup base into a pot with the smashed garlic and bring to a gentle boil (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the Teochew pork balls and let them simmer for 5-6 minutes until they float and plump up.
- Drop in the tau pok and mushrooms, and cook for another 3-4 minutes so they soak up the broth.
- Add the leafy greens last and cook just until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Taste the broth and adjust with a little more water if you'd like it lighter.
- Ladle everything into bowls and serve hot with rice on the side. Done in around 20-30 minutes.
Make it your own
The beauty of these pork balls is how well they play with almost any broth. Swap the bak kut teh base for one of our other soup bases and you've got a whole new meal:
- Collagen soup base — for a milder, silky bowl that's gentle and nourishing.
- Tom yum — bright, tangy and a little spicy when you want a kick.
- Mala — bold and numbing for the days you're craving something fiery.
Ready to get a pot going? Shop the Handmade Teochew Pork Balls and your favourite soup base, and dinner is sorted.
