Bakkwa
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Bakkwa or Rougan (Simplified Chinese: 肉干; pinyin: ròu gān) is a Chinese dried meat product that is salty and sweet and flat in form. Although bakkwa is usually made of pork, it may also be prepared using beef or chicken, with certain Chinese populations favoring one type over the other. This dried food is believed to have originated from a meat preservation and preparation technique used in ancient China that is still practiced in places with Hokkien influence.
Bakkwa, rougan, and yuhk gōn are the Hokkien, Mandarin, and Cantonese pronounciations of the term "肉干", respectively. In Malaysia and Singapore, bakkwa or ba gua is the most widely used name, while in China and Taiwan the product is more commonly known as rougan. Commercially available bakkwa is sometimes also labeled as "barbecued pork," "dried pork," or "pork jerky." Rougan is particularly popular as a snack in Macau, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. In Beidou, Taiwan, it is regarded as one of the three pork delicacies.
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[edit] Cultural significance
In Malaysia and Singapore, bakkwa has become a highly popular gift offered to visitors and acquaintances during the Chinese New Year, as well as amongst corporations (some may avoid doing so in respect of Muslim corporate members, particularly in Malaysia, which is Muslim-majority country, although halal chicken varieties of the snack do exist). It may also be served in functions such as wedding banquets and religious ceremony dinners. While demand is particular high during the festive seasons, it is also served throughout the year in various outlets as takeaway snacks or to be served together with main courses at home. The meat is commonly sold in red-coloured bags or packaging, an auspicious colour in Chinese culture.
[edit] Preparation
Traditionally, bakkwa was made using leftover meats from festivals and banquets. They were preserved with sugar and salt and then kept for later consumption, and was the preferred method at a time when refrigeration was not available. The meat from these celebrations is trimmed of the fat, sliced, marinated and then smoked. After smoking, the meat is cut into small pieces and stored for later. It is believed that the distinguishing feature behind the preparation was in the marination, and the recipe is often closely guarded.
Contemporarily, however, the meat is often prepared using fresh produce or imported pre-packed and pre-marinated from China, and barbecued in high-temperature ovens locally. Currently, two main variants exist, with more traditional ones involving minced meat shaped into slices (碎片肉干), and the newer versions involving slicing off solid blocks of meat (切片肉干). The latter, although more expensive, is increasingly popular for its tougher texture and being a healtheir choice since less fat are present. The meat is most commonly served plain and in square-shaped slices, although spicy versions are also popular. It may be cut into bite-sized circles to resemble coins, thus referred to as "Golden Coins" (金钱肉干) for auspicious reasons during the festive seasons. More adventurous chains have attempted to introduce more novel ways of selling the meat.
[edit] Popular culture
A bubble gum-like packaging for bakkwa was virtually invented in the Singaporean movie I Not Stupid.
[edit] Notable bakkwa shops, brands and chains
[edit] Malaysia
- Wing Heong
- Kiew Brothers ("Wo lai Yeh")
- Chun Me Food Trading ("xin quan mei")
[edit] Singapore
- Bee Cheng Hiang (Měi Zhēn Xiāng)
- Fragrance Foodstuff (Xiāng Wèi Ròu Gān)
- Lim Chee Guan (Lín Zhì Yuán)
- Tan Chee Yuan (Chén Zhì Yuán)
- New Peng Hiang (Xīn Pǐn Xiāng)
[edit] Taiwan
- Jin Xiang Yuan
- Chuan Xiang
- Hsin Tung Yang (Xīn Dōng Yáng)
[edit] See also
- Pork floss (Rousong) another Chinese dried meat food
