Bakkwa: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:07, 10 December 2006

Latest revision as of 09:36, 29 July 2025

(366 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Salty-sweet dried meat product}}

'''Bakkwa''' or '''Rougan''' ({{zh-sp|s=肉干|p=ròu gān}}) is a [[Chinese cuisine|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 [[Hoklo (ethnic group)|Hokkien]] influence.

{{Infobox food

| name = Bakkwa

| image = Bak kwa.jpg

| caption = Chinese bakkwa made from pork

| alternate_name = Rougan

| country = [[China]]

| region = [[Fujian]]

| creator =

| course =

| served = Hot or cold

| main_ingredient = [[Dried meat]]

| variations =

| calories =

| other =

}}

{{Infobox Chinese

|pic=

|piccap=

|title=Bakkwa

|s=肉干

|t=肉乾

|showflag=

|p=ròugān

|mi={{IPAc-cmn|r|ou|4|g|an|1}}

|poj=bah-koaⁿ

|tl=bah-kuann

|j=juk6 gon1

|y=yuhk gōn

|l=dried meat

}}

'''Bakkwa''' ({{zh|s=肉干|t=肉乾|poj=bah-koaⁿ|p=ròugān|first=poj}}) is a [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]] salty-sweet [[dried meat]] product similar to [[jerky]].

Bakkwa is made with a [[meat preservation]] and preparation technique originating from [[China]].<ref name=leistner306>{{cite book|last=Leistner|first=Lothar|title=The microbiological safety and quality of food: Volume 1|year=1999|publisher=Aspen Publishers|___location=Gaithersburg|isbn=978-0-8342-1323-4|pages=306|editor=Lund, Barbara M.|display-editors=etal}}</ref> The general method of production has remained virtually unchanged throughout the centuries, but the techniques have been gradually improved.<ref name=leistner306/> It is traditionally made of [[pork]], [[beef]], or [[mutton]], which is prepared with spices, sugar, salt and soy sauce, then dried on racks at around {{convert|50|to|60|C}} to a final [[water activity]] between 0.60 and 0.69.<ref>{{cite book|editor=International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods |title=Micro-organisms in foods 6: Microbal ecology of food commodities|year=2005|publisher=Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers|___location=New York|isbn=978-0-306-48675-3|edition=2nd|page=68}}</ref>

''Bakkwa'', ''rougan'', and ''yuhk gōn'' are the [[Min Nan|Hokkien]], [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]], and [[Standard Cantonese|Cantonese]] pronounciations of the term "[[wiktionary:肉干|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.

Nowadays, products with a softer texture, lighter color and less sugar are preferred.<ref name=leistner306/> The {{Transliteration|zh|shafu}} type of bakkwa products has a higher water content, and thus has a softer texture and lower sugar content.<ref name=leistner306/> Whereas the traditional bakkwa has a [[water activity]] below 0.7, {{Transliteration|zh|shafu}} bakkwa tends to be closer to a water activity of about 0.79.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Leistner|first1=L. | editor=G.W. Gould |title=New Methods of Food Preservation.|date=1995|publisher=Springer | isbn=978-1-4613-5876-3 | page=18 | chapter=Principles and applications of hurdle technology}}</ref> Nevertheless, {{Transliteration|zh|shafu}} can have a similar shelf life to other types of bakkwa.<ref name=leistner306/>

==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.

Bakkwa is very popular in [[Singapore]] and [[Malaysia]] where it is traditionally eaten during the [[Chinese New Year]]. When Chinese immigrants brought this delicacy over to Singapore and Malaysia, it began to take on local characteristics. A notable example lies in the preparation of bakkwa, where the meat is grilled over charcoal rather than air-dried, imparting a smokier flavor to the meat. The Singaporean and Malaysian versions of bakkwa are also sweeter than their mainland China counterparts with many different variations having developed to suit local palates, such as chili bakkwa.

==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 [[Smoking (food)|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.

<gallery class="center" caption="" widths="220px" heights="160px">

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 [[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.

File:歐~肉乾!.jpg|Different kinds of bakkwa on display, Hong Kong

File:Bakkwa at a Bee Cheng Hiang store, Singapore - 20040111.jpg|Bakkwa at a [[Bee Cheng Hiang]] shop in Singapore

</gallery>

==PopularSee culturealso==

*[[Bee Cheng Hiang]] (''Měi Zhēn Xiāng'')

A bubble gum-like packaging for bakkwa was virtually invented in the Singaporean movie ''[[I Not Stupid]]''.

*[[Dendeng]]

*[[Dried shredded squid]]

*[[Rousong]]

==References==

==Notable bakkwa shops, brands and chains==

{{Commons category|Bakkwa}}

{{listdev}}

{{reflist}}

===Malaysia===

*[[Wing Heong]]

*[[Kiew Brothers]] ("Wo lai Yeh")

*[[Chun Me Food Trading]] ("xin quan mei")

===Singapore=External links==

{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Bakkwa-article.ogg|2006date=2019-0105-2107}}

*[[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'')

{{Hong Kong cuisine}}

===Taiwan===

{{Indonesian cuisine}}

*[[Jin Xiang Yuan]]

{{Macanese cuisine}}

*[[Chuan Xiang]]

{{Malaysian cuisine}}

*[[Hsin Tung Yang]] (Xīn Dōng Yáng)

{{Singaporean cuisine}}

{{Taiwanese cuisine}}

{{Spoken Wikipedia|Bakkwa.ogg|2006-01-21}}

{{Chinese New Year}}

{{Barbecue}}

==See also==

{{Portal bar|Food|Asia}}

*[[Rousong|Pork floss (Rousong)]] another Chinese dried meat food

==External links==

*[http://www.chcg.gov.tw/index2/travel/tra7_03.asp?eid=147 Introduction of Taiwanese pork jerky in Beidou]

[[Category:Chinese New Year foods]]

[[Category:Dried meat]]

[[Category:PorkHong Kong cuisine]]

[[Category:Indonesian cuisine]]

[[Category:Macanese cuisine]]

[[Category:Malaysian cuisine]]

[[Category:Singaporean cuisine]]

[[Category:Taiwanese cuisine]]

[[Category:Chinese meat dishes]]