The enduring appeal of bak kwa during CNY in Malaysia and Singapore

Barbecued meat is a popular snack, especially during Chinese New Year.

There is nothing that precipitates Chinese New Year quite like the heady allure of bak kwa. The sweet-smoky slices of dried, barbecued meat are compulsory acquisitions for many Malaysian and Singaporean Chinese during this auspicious period and it isn’t uncommon to see serpentine queues trailing outside large specialty bak kwa stores.

During the festive season, the dizzying, intoxicating aroma of bak kwa can often also be detected emerging from the carts of roadside vendors who understand only too well that the olfactory pull of bak kwa is half of its charm.