Exquisite Magazine Jan 2018

Food
Bak Kwa
Across Cultures
Gone are the days when bak kwa is only
purchased during Chinese New Year
by old aunties and by only the Chinese
population. Today bak kwa is loved by
many cultures and tourists that visit
Singapore.
T
he delicious barbecued meat is loved by both young and
old, traditional and trendy, professionals and geeks. It is
also loved across many cultures.
Japanese, Koreans, Australians, Europeans, Americans, Indians
and Indonesians visiting Singapore love bak kwa. In Singapore
homes, you’ll see bak kwa being enjoyed by Indians and
Eurasians and expats. With seafood and beef halal versions of
bak kwa even Malays can now buy the product.
There are many new versions of bak kwa to cater to the
country’s various ethnic cultures including halal chicken, turkey,
beef or vegetarian varieties. You’ll also find chilli bak kwa,
bacon strips bak kwa, pineapple bak kwa, and seafood bak kwa.
What is important is to choose bak kwa that is natural and
healthy – without additives and artificial colours. If you detect
a bitter after-taste and if the colour is too bright and artificial
then you know substances have been added. You can also tell if
there are additives such as tenderisers if the texture of meat is
mushy and squishy – in other words it is a little too tender and
unnaturally soft.
Here are some of the ways different cultures enjoy their bak
kwa:
Korea
Pa Jun – Korean
pancake with spring
onion, kimchi and
pork bak kwa
Recipe: Mix together
in a bowl: 2 cups
flour, 2 eggs, 1
1/2 cups water,
cut spring onions,
2 tablespoons
chopped kimchi, 2 tablespoons minced pork bak kwa and salt.
Stir and mix well. Set aside for 10 minutes. Heat a frying pan
with oil and pour in the batter in a thin layer. Cook on both sides
about 3-4 minutes each. Serve with soy sauce and spicy Korean
dipping sauce.
Hawaii
Grilled sandwich of
pineapple pork bak
kwa with cheese and
pineapple
Recipe: Make a
sandwich – spread
mustard and butter
on the bread slices;
cut pineapple bak
kwa into strips and
lay on bread; add mozarella cheese, and one canned pineapple
ring; and a sprinkle of salt; close the sandwich and drizzle a
little oil on both outer sides of the sandwich, and grill on frying
pan – keep turning and grilling both sides of the sandwich until
the cheese melts. Serve with chilli sauce.
Japan
Miso nikomi udon with bacon bak kwa
Recipe: In a saucepan mix 2 cups dashi stock with a little
miso paste and bring to boil; add sliced leeks, dried tofu and
cut bacon bak kwa. In a separate saucepan bring water to
boil and cook frozen udon for 2 minutes. Add the udon to the
other saucepan with the stock, and season to taste. Add inoki
mushrooms, cut spring onions and a dask of sake (optional),
and serve.
US
Caesar salad with seafood bak
kwa
Recipe: Mix together
mayonnaise, dijon mustard,
lemon juice, a little salt and
sugar, parmesan cheese and
minced garlic. In a serving dish,
lay out some torn romaine
lettuce and cut-up seafood bak
kwa. Pour dressing over and top with crunchy croutons.
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