DISH RESEARCH · Main dish
Babi Pongteh
Pork belly braised with fermented soybeans, garlic and mushrooms.

About Babi Pongteh
Babi pongteh is a Peranakan pork braise presented by Celia Lim as a household dish also served at feasts. Her mushroom rendition combines pork belly with fermented soybeans, garlic and a sweet-salty gravy.
Pounded shallots and garlic cook with cinnamon before the pork joins the seasoned paste. White and palm sugars balance the soybeans, and a whole star anise pod is optional.
The braise also contains softened mushrooms and unpeeled garlic cloves. The finished pork is served piping hot, with its sauce spooned generously over cooked white rice.
Allergens in this recipe
Contains: Soy.
Other allergen details are unconfirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Babi Pongteh
Celia Lim's classic Peranakan babi pongteh with mushrooms.
- Pork bellyProtein
- Dried shiitake mushroomsBase
- ShallotsAromatic
- GarlicAromatic
- Cinnamon stickSeasoning
- Star aniseSeasoning · Optional
- Fermented soybeansSeasoning
- Dark soy sauceSeasoning
- White sugarSweetener
- Palm sugarSweetener
- SaltSeasoning
- Cooking oilCooking mediumIngredient page not linked
- WaterLiquid
- Cooked white riceAccompaniment
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Pork belly: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual152 first original option selected over trotters/shoulder.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual114 expressly offered shiitake in own mushroom rendition, dried153/172, broader shiitake candidate.
- Shallots: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual154/174/177.
- Garlic: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual155-156 pounded peeled and unpeeled braising cloves consolidated.
- Cinnamon stick: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual157/177.
- Star anise (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual158/180 expressly optional.
- Fermented soybeans: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Soy source-confirmed. Actual159/175 original beans pounded to paste selected over bought saltedpaste; broader paste candidate with actual upstream process.
- Dark soy sauce: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Soy source-confirmed. Actual160/175.
- White sugar: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual161/175.
- Palm sugar: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual162/175.
- Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual163/175/182.
- Cooking oil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual164/177, species unprovided.
- Water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual172 mushroom-soaking water discarded and178-182 braise water consolidated.
- Cooked white rice: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual184 explicit prepared accompaniment; upstream formula unprovided.
Origins & food traditions
Cuisines & regions
- Peranakan Cuisine
- Peranakan (Nyonya) CuisineCatalogue link pending review
- Peranakan CuisineCatalogue link pending review
AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.