KUCHING: Bakkwa, which is Chinese for dried meat, is one of the most popular delicacies for Chinese New Year.
It is a dish made with preserved pork, beef or chicken mixed with spices, sugar, salt and soy sauce.
The dish is also available throughout the year, even during the non-festival, and it is somehow disturbing to not have these scrumptious delicacies in someone’s home throughout the festive season.
Its origin can be traced back to China during the ancient times, most specifically the province of Fujian, and during that time, poverty was spread widely throughout the area.
Pork, or even meat in general, was considered a luxury food that not everyone can afford, therefore it was reserved for the Chinese New Year.
As many Hokkien immigrants from Fujian made their way to the Malay Archipelago (now Malaysia) in the early 15th century to escape a life of poverty, they reputedly brought this delicacy with them.
It has since been tweaked to suit local tastes and the Malaysian and Singaporean versions are grilled over charcoal after being air-dried, which gives the meat a smokier flavour. The local version is sweeter than the original.
This past week, the New Sarawak Tribune visited an outlet in Vivacity Megamall in Kuching called Bee Cheng Hiang, a Singaporean brand that produces Chinese cuisine, including bakkwa.
Some of the few types of bakkwa they sell include the gourmet bakkwa, which is the three layer pork dried meat, and is popular among the customers.
They also sell the pork meat in mini packet, in order for the customers to pick on how many slices of meat they want to purchase.
The delicacies are sold between RM50 and RM200, from 500 gram to one kilogramme depending on the how many slices customers prefer.
Chua Kang Zhen, one of the staff stated that the delicacies are not made from the local meat.
“Although we make the meat in Peninsular Malaysia, we imported the meat internationally, which is from Australia instead,” he said when interviewed by New Sarawak Tribune.
He also added that for the brand, the supply meat is definitely enough as the meat is not from the country as well.
In the meantime, when asked on whether the prices of the delicacies have gone up compared to the previous years, he said yes.
“I believe one of the reason why the prices have gone up is because not only due to the supply of the meat, but also everyone is afraid of the African Swine Fever (ASF).
“And that is why our meat is not from this country, instead we imported it because it is safer,” he added.
Earlier, the ban on Chinese dried meat or bakkwa from Peninsular Malaysia is still in effect by the state government in order to spread the curb of ASF.
Director of Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Dr Adrian Susin Ambud said that those who import the delicacy into Sarawak may face a maximum compound of RM25,000.
He also added that the ban would stand in effect until the peninsular is free from ASF.
