GEORGE TOWN, Jan 31 — One of the most essential snacks for Chinese New Year is bakwa or dried pork jerky.
The bakwa is a must-have in most Chinese homes here when it comes to the lunar new year so it is not surprising to see roadside stalls selling it during the festive season.
The bakwa, originally made to preserve pork and other meat, is thin square slices of minced pork that have been grilled over a charcoal fire to a juicy smokey goodness.
This snack is believed to have originated from the Fujian province of China and prepared using traditional methods handed down from generation to generation.
Many of the Fujian immigrants brought the bakwa to Malaysia almost a century ago. This explains why bakwa can be found in abundance in Penang, where many of the local ethnic Chinese are descendants of these Fujian immigrants.
The sweet, chewy delicacy is easily found especially during Chinese New Year when boxes of the dried grilled meat are usually bought to be given as gifts to friends and relatives.
The making of the bakwa, which is Hokkien for dried meat, is made with minced meat seasoned with five spice powder, rice wine, sugar, salt and soy sauce. The seasoned minced meat is then flattened into thin squares and dried before being grilled over charcoal fire for a smokey finish.
The result is a soft, chewy jerky that is sweet, savoury and juicy. The bakwa is either eaten as is or eaten with bread or bun... like a sandwich.
In Penang, some pork sellers will also make their own bakwa alongside bakhu all year round and not only during Chinese New Year. Other than the thin slices of bakwa, they also sell variations of it such as the “gold coin” which are bite-sized squares with a blob of fatty pork on top or small thick oblong shaped ones for those who prefer meatier bites.
The bakhu, or dried shredded pork, is almost always sold alongside the bakwa and can be used as fillings for buns or as toppings for various dishes. It can also be eaten with plain rice.
The bakhu is made from braised shredded pork that is fried till it’s a dry and fluffy consistency, like clouds of sweet meaty floss.
There are also variations now in the meat used for both bakhu and bakwa such as chicken for those who prefer something healthier or even fish bakhu for the more adventurous.
There are quite a number of bakwa sellers to be found in Penang, some at makeshift stalls by the roadside. Here are five places to get local-made bakwa:
Tuck Kee
39, Kuala Kangsar Road, George Town, Penang
GPS: 5.417491, 100.332337
Time: 8am-6pm
This shop has been around for almost 40 years and is known for their bakwa and bakhu. They also have lap cheong (Chinese sausages), salted dried chicken drumsticks and several other preserved products popular during Chinese New Year as they are used to prepare lap mei fan (rice cooked with dried preserved meat). The shop is open all year round so all their dried and preserved meats are available throughout the year.
Row of pork seller stalls
Cecil Street Market, Lebuh Cecil, George Town, Penang
GPS: 5.407250, 100.328690
Time: 1pm-5pm
There are five stalls in this market, each selling pork, bakwa, bakhu, lap cheong, char siew (barbecued pork) and sio bak (crispy roast pork). Each stall makes its own pork products so the taste of the bakwa and bakhu varies between stalls. All the pork products including the bakwa and bakhu are available all year round. Unlike Tuck Kee where the bakwa are vacuum sealed and properly packed, expect very basic plastic packing in plain boxes from these stalls.
Pork seller
Taman Free School Market
GPS: 5.403609, 100.309817
Time: 8am-11am
This is another pork seller in a market who makes his own bakwa, bakhu and lap cheong especially for Chinese New Year. This stall’s bakwa is rather popular so it is best to order ahead.
Roadside stall
Lebuhraya Thean Teik
GPS: 5.390299, 100.281887
Time: 11am-10pm
Roadside stall
Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim
GPS: 5.330592, 100.278707
Time: 11am-10pm
The above two roadside stalls are among many other makeshift roadside stalls that only open during Chinese New Year season. These stalls don’t only sell bakwa but also other Chinese New Year items such as mandarin oranges, cookies and hampers. Sometimes these stalls can be easily detected as they would be grilling the bakwa right in front of the stalls and the delicious scent of roasting meat will be wafting in the air.
