Well here we go…….
Hmm it might look similar but guess what? It’s Chick Kut Teh!!!
Yup, Chick-Kut-Teh is a popular Chinese soup commonly served in Malaysia with chicken meat instead of pork. It is usually eaten with rice and vegetable served with youtiao (strips of fried dough dipped into the soup). Chick-Kut-Teh is a halal version of dish that can be consumed by Muslim and became a lot of restaurant owners’ remedy of pork meat substitute during the SARS outbreak in Asia. Besides, many different types of Chinese herbs are added in it to give better taste. According to the traditional Chinese medicine’s philosophy, “Yin” and “Yang” are two topographical terms to describe the effect of Chinese medicines to human body. These two components has effect that oppose each other, however, they are mutually independent at the same time (china.org.cn, n.d.). These two components should always be in balance; otherwise may result in occurrence of diseases.
The general ingredients of Chick-Kut-Teh are mostly Chinese herbs:
Astragalus membrane (Bei Qi)
Dioscorea Opposita (Huai San)
Angelica Sinensis (Dong Guai)
Codonopsis root (Dong Sam)
Wolfberries (Kei ji)
Polyganatum Odoratum (Yu zu)
Cinnamonum Aromaticum (Gui Pi)
Star Anise (Bat Kok)
White Pepper, soy sauce and other seasoning spices
Metabolism Pathway Involved:
The chief component of the dish is chicken. Knowing that chicken is high in protein, the breakdown of protein into amino acid is carried out in our body. Then, deamination in the liver takes place where amino groups are removed from amino acids. These amino groups are transferred to α-ketoglutarate with the end product yielding ammonia (NH4+). Ammonia is converted into urea and excreted readily as urine via kidney. However, the remainders of the amino acid known as “carbon skeletal” are converted to three components:
(i) acetyl CoA which ends up producing energy, ATP via oxidation of citric acid cycle. The converted carbon skeletons to acetyl CoA known as ketogenic amino acids.
(ii) pyruvate or citric acid cycle intermediates that are used for energy production or used in glucose synthesis (gluconeogenesis) pathway.The converted carbon skeletons are known as glucogenic amino acid.
The excess amino acids are metabolized to glycogen or fat that consequently used for energy metabolism (Introductory Metabolism Module, 2000).
Besides protein metabolism, the chicken meat used in Chick-Kut-Teh contains fats that will promote to lipid metabolism. Dietary fats in the gastrointestinal tract are not easily broken by digestive enzyme lipase secreted by glands at the back of the tongue (Ebner’s gland) and by the stomach. This is because the water soluble enzyme, lipase only attacks the surface of the fat molecules. So the real breakdown of fat into smaller molecules occurs at duodenum when bile is secreted via bile duct. The bile emulsifies fats by dispersing them into small droplets and stabilizes the fat particle by preventing them to coalescent. On the other hand, the work of lipase and digestive juices take place by breaking the small droplets of fats into fatty acids and glycerol which eventually enters the bloodstream through lymphatic system to be stored in adipose cells or muscle cells or oxidized for energy. For energy utilization, fatty acids undergo b-oxidation in mitochondria by removing two carbons units from the fatty acids chain per cycle and the two carbon units are molecules of acetyl CoA that will be oxidized in citric acid cycle to produce ATP, CO2 and water. However, when excess fats such as in chicken skin is consumed, fats that are not utilized to make energy (in the form of ATP) will be stored in adipose tissue, and this may increases the chances of getting heart related diseases.
WHAT MAKES CHICK-KUT-TEH BETTER?!
Removing Chicken Skin Gives You Better Health!
In order to enjoy the food with a healthier value, chicken skin need to be removed before cooking with other ingredients. Fats provide more than twice the energy of carbohydrate and protein, making it an extremely efficient storage form of energy. When too much fat is consumed, body will only utilized a portion of it and store the remaining in adipose tissues. Saturated fat is a type of lipid which is commonly found in poultry skin, meat, butter, cream and lard (Fereidoun H., et.al., 2007). In general, the more saturated fat contained in the diet, higher the low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the body (Whitney E., et.al., 2005). LDL cholesterol has the ability to increase the risk of heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Besides of its nutritional content, microbiological and chemical may be a factor for the removal of skin. Most of the poultry will be orally administered dose with antibiotics and drugs until the day they are slaughtered, thus, this make the skin area to have highest concentration of these drugs. (Fereidoun H., et.al., 2007). Moreover, there is high chance of microbial contamination during the slaughtered process, thus, it is highly recommended to remove skin prior cooking. In addition, fatty meat can be replaced by lean meat such as chicken breast meat. Although chicken meat contain natural occurring fat, however, meat has less fat compared to skin, and it is rich in protein, which contribute to less energy (4kJ) compared to fat (9kJ).
Include These In Your Chick-Kut-Teh!
Reduction of Dong Guai!
On the other hand, herbs commonly used in making Chick-Kut-Teh include a combination of herbs that are mentioned above. Although these herbs give many advantages to human body such as enhance metabolism and digestion, treating tiredness and poor appetite, it also has disadvantages to human health as well. According to Mr. Hee, the traditional Chinese physician and acupuncturist, excess consumed of Chick-Kut-Teh may lead to high blood pressure, or also known as hypertension due to the high amount of Angelica Sinensis (Chinese name: Dong Guai) with combination of other herbs used in soup. High amount of this herb, in combination with others, causes an increasing of “yang” in the body (china.org.cn, n.d.), leading an imbalance of “Yin” and “Yang” in the body, thus contributing the occurrence of diseases. In order to counter balance this phenomenon, amount of Angelica Sinensis need to be reduced and other herbs can be added. Herbs and foods such as American ginseng, sugar cane and black fungus are recommended to counter balance the effect of high blood pressure caused by the previous formulation in the Chick-Kut-Teh.
Addition of American Ginseng!
American ginseng is an adaptogen and an energy tonic. It is cool (also known as “Yin”) in nature, consisting cooling and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help in reducing fever, dry cough and wheezing. Besides, it has an impact on reducing hot flashes, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and headaches.
Addition of Dried Sugar Cane!
Sugar cane, or scientifically known as Saccharum officinarum L., contain a fraction of compound known as policosanol, where it is a group of eight to nine “long chain alcohols” solid and waxy compound. Research shows that policosanol is effective in lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides levels. In addition, it helps to prevent strokes by inhibiting abnormal blood clotting and platelet clumping in the blood vessel, and thus indirectly lowering blood pressure (Cuevas M., et.al., 1997).
Addition of Black Fungus!
As mentioned earlier, black fungus can also be added into Chick-Kut-Teh. According to a research, black fungus (Scientifically known as Auricularia auricula) used up excess cholesterol by stimulated the production of bile acids. It mechanisms of action is not known yet, however, few clinical studies had proved that it is able to lower serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentration. The most important is that, the serum HDL concentration was not affected by activity of black fungus (Bonell A., 2001). This means that consuming black fungus may reduce risk of plaque development in blood vessel, hence, diseases such as hypertension and vascular sclerosis may be prevented.
Acknowledgment
• Hee Kon Teck, Traditional Chinese Physician and Acupuncturist (Member of Malaysia Chinese Medical Association).
• Lim Siew Ling, Chinese Medicine Pharmacist.
References
1. Bonell A., 2001. Potential of Fungi Used In Traditional Chinese Medicine: Auricularia. [Online]. Available from:
This is interesting. Bak-Kut-Teh has always been one of my favorite dish back in Malaysia and Chick-Kut-Teh is kinda new. Since they have the similar recipe in term of the herbs being used, I think this post is good for others (hawkers) to take as reference so that they can use the right proportions of herbs in the Bak-kut-teh as well for better health care of others. Good to know more bout my favorite dish. Now I know what it is providing me. ^^ Anyway, chicken is indeed better than pork, pork has more fatz. Maybe your next post can be on Char Kuey Teow?
ReplyDeletePork has more flavour! Pork rules! Oink OINK!!
ReplyDeleteAnyway! your own AFC! HARD! Good on you, keep it up! =)
Nice jobs with lots info, the chick-kut-teh definitely looks nice and healthy with herbs,like chicken herbal soup...just wanna ask what health benefit to us if consume this chick-kut-teh regularly?
ReplyDeleteAny food should be consume in moderate level to avoid any health problems. Consuming chick-kut-teh regularly might gives rise to health problems as well. The principle is the same as when excessive consumption of certain vitamins will lead to toxicity.
ReplyDeleteWow, first picture looks kinda appetizing. This is interesting, chic-kut-teh, substituting pork with chicken. It is a great idea to do so since chicken is a healthier form of meat compared to pork which falls under the red meat category. However, if we substitute pork with chicken meat, will there be a difference in the taste of the dish? I am really curious about this as I've never tried chic-kut-teh before. Haha.
ReplyDeleteis white meat better than red meat? i think one of our lecturer talked about this before, but i don remember what is the benefit of white meat and what are the differences between white and read meat. can someone explain to me?
ReplyDeleteTo Pearline,
ReplyDeleteThe taste of Chick-Kut-Teh is almost the same as Bak-Kut-Teh (pork), but the texture of meat is slightly different where pork tend to be more tender. And, i prefer Bak-Kut-Teh more! haha.
If reduce dong gui and addition of fungus and ginseng , will the taste of the chic-kut-teh change totally? As i know dong gui giving the soup very nice herb taste
ReplyDeleteDear Dino,
ReplyDeleteHey,how's life there? White meat is definitely better than red meat. This is because red meat has high content of saturated fat and cholesterol as compared to white meat, which has higher content of protein such as in chicken. Excessive consumed of red meat will lead to commonly diseases such as heart disease. Red meat is in red due to their myoglobin stored in the cells. Dark meats uses myoglobins as they transfer oxygen more efficiently to the muscles than glycogen.
Red meat is commonly found in mammals such as cow and pig. while white meat is the muscles with fibers known as fast-twitch. These muscles usually get energy from glycogen. Source of white meat is primilary from poultry.
Hai Pui Yee,i am fine here, just feeling cold sometime. I am interested in everyone's blog cuz i find that this assignment is interesting. So i left a few comments when i have question. Too 38 right? lolxx. Your explanation makes me recall the things that the lecturer told us. Thanks a lot~!
ReplyDeletehey,nice name ah...Chick-Kut-Teh, but it seem lke seldom found in the market leh...chicken instead of pork,this idea nice.used chinken to cook wiil like a "chinese stew traditional way", full of nourishment. great!
ReplyDeleteI've got to say this post is very impressive and rather informative.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you can enlighten us as to why most body builders consider red meat the better choice of meat when they are trying to gain some muscles?
To the thing (dreamie lavender),
ReplyDeleteReduction of dong guai would not change the taste of chick-kut-teh drastically. The flavour may be a bit mild. Besides, addition of black fungus has similar principle as addition of mushroom in it. As i know, it does not impart any flavour. Addition of American ginseng has a mid flavour as well. The proportion of these ingredients is important in giving nice taste to chick-kut-teh. However, their functions is essential in giving better health. Thanks for the comment!
I am a BKT diehard (pork version). After reading your blog, pork it seems is quite harmful to out health taken daily. But in BKT, it is a must! No other meat beat in or even come close.
ReplyDeleteYour Chick-Kut-Teh is a far cry from it. How are you to replace it with chicken in this famous dish?
All your other herbs can remain but pork is a must!
In the first place chicken was never intend or will never replace pork in BKT. However, due to pork's larger content of fat, chicken that has more lean meat and less fat can be used to provide a healthier dish and it suits every population and races in Malaysia. Chicken was as well used as a stand in by businessman during the era of the deadly Nipah virus where there was an acute short supply of pork.
ReplyDelete