Information AboutBakkwa |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BAKKWA | |
| dried meat | |
| pork | |
| singaporean cuisine | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
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"Bakkwa" is a Hokkien word meaning Dried Meat , and as its name implies, refers to a form of meat preservation and preparation originating in China and still common in some places with Hokkien influence. 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 especially 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. 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 was said, that the distinguishing feature behind the preperation 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 later, 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 Coin s, 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. One such company that does this is the Singapore company Bee Cheng Hiang {Link without Title} . POPULAR CULTURE A bubble gum-like packaging for bakkwa was virtually invented in the Singaporean movie '' I Not Stupid ''. NOTABLE BAKKWA SHOPS, BRANDS AND CHAINS Malaysia
Singapore
Taiwan
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