Tom Pepinsky

Author: tompepinsky

  • Mari Kita Ucapkan Selamat kepada JM

    As the title here says, congratulations are in order for JM, who will (unless anything unexpected happens) be Adjunct Professor of Music at Southern Connecticut State University for the Spring 2006 semester.  With any luck, she will be able to pick up a class or two for the Fall 2005 semester as well–the teaching line-up is currently full, but people sometimes to drop out unexpectedly.

    JM is still looking for other options for teaching this coming year.  If any reader is an administrator at a Connecticut college who requires an adjunct to teach music history/theory or flute, or knows of any job openings in the international student advising department, please let us know.

  • Bah Kut Teh

    This is a recipe for a classic Singaporean and Malaysian Chinese soup.  The name literally translates into "pork bone tea," but it’s better if you think about it as "pork ribs soup".  It’s really good and has an interesting flavor.

    The first thing you need is a bit of seasonings.  These are what make the soup unique.  You need a quarter ounce of Codonopsis dangshen, a quarter ounce of Solomon’s seal (yu ju), a quarter ounce of Ligusticum wallichii (chuan xiong), about ten black dried dates (hei zao), a quarter ounce of Rehmannia glutinosa (gan di huang), and about ten dried Chinese wolfberries (gou ji zi).  You, of course, will not find these in the supermarket.  Go to your local Chinese grocery store with this list, though, and we are pretty sure that you’ll find them.  You might even be able to ask for Bah Kut Teh spices with that name and find them pre-packaged.

    Let’s say you can’t find them.  Well, this is total blasphemy, BUT, you could do a lot worse than using a couple dried dates, a handful of dried cherries or dried cranberries, a couple of slices of ginseng, and some fresh galangal.  UPDATE: There is no excuse.  You can order bah kut teh spices online here.

    Bah Kut Teh
    12 cups water
    10 unpeeled garlic cloves
    bah kut teh seasonings
    1 1/2 lbs pork baby back ribs, separated into individual ribs
    10 dried shiitake or Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained
    1/4 lb. whole button mushrooms
    3 heads Chinese cabbage, blanched
    1/2 lb. firm tofu
    oil for deep frying
    1 tsp. sugar
    chopped cilantro and dark soy sauce to garnish

    Bring the water to a boil and add the garlic, spices, pork ribs, and mushrooms.  Bring to a boil again, then lower head and simmer for 45 minutes.

    Meanwhile, press the tofu between a couple sheets of paper towels until most of the water has been removed.  Heat the oil until very hot.  Cut the tofu into large squares, and add to the oil.  Deep fry until deep golden brown and crisp.  Remove and drain.

    Add the sugar to the pot and remove from heat.  Divide the Chinese cabbage and tofu into 4 large bowls, and ladle the soup on top.  Sprinkle with roughly chopped cilantro leaves and serve with dark soy sauce in little bowls for dipping.