Kiam Hu Kut Th’ng (Salted Fish Bones Soup)

This recipe goes very well with soft silken tofu. Some call it ‘Kiam Hu Kut Tauhu Th’ng’. I don’t make this soup very often but couldn’t resist when I found a packet of salted fish bones I purchased sometime ago from Penang.

Instead of it taking up space in the fridge, might as well savour this lovely authentic soup in my tummy.

Ingredients

8 pieces of clean cut salted fish bones, rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes, drained
200 gm piece of pork belly with skin, blanche in boiling water, drained
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 slices of old ginger
1 litre boiling filtered water
2 blocks of silken tofu, cut into bite size cubes
spring onions, chopped or cut in short lengths (garnishing)

Method

1. Heat a saucepan, put in olive oil, ginger slices and saute the salted fish bones till golden brown and fragrant. Add in the soup meat. Saute the meat as well.
2. Slowly add filtered water into the saucepan and bring to boil for 10 minutes. Bring to simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. Season the soup with sea salt if the salted fish is not salty enough and slowly put in the tofu. Simmer for another 10 minutes, scoop into serving bowls.
3. Garnish with spring onions and serve.

Note : the beautiful oil on the top of the soup, a must have for me whenever I make this soup, just delicious! This oil is the product from the sauteing of the salted fish bones in olive oil.