Baked pork chop rice explained

Baked pork chop rice is a Hong Kong style Western dish. It is commonly served in Cha Chaan Teng . The dish combines Eastern and Western culinary influences. It consists of a base of fried rice with egg, which is topped with tomato sauce and cheese. This is then baked until the cheese is melted and then served.

Baked pork chop rice
Region:Hong Kong
Course:Main course
Main Ingredient:Rice, Pork chops, Tomato sauce, Cheese
Place Of Origin:Hong Kong
Associated Cuisine:Hong Kong cuisine, Chinese cuisine

Origin

The original dish was based on French cuisine, namely the casserole. One of the first restaurants to serve this dish is Tai Ping Koon Restaurant, which served the dish when it was founded in 1860, and then moved to Hong Kong in 1938. Since then, many other restaurants in Hong Kong began to serve baked pork chop rice and it has become a staple comfort food. [1] [2]

Ingredients and preparation

The dish consists of four main components :

The preparation involves marinating the pork chops in a mixture of seasonings including salt, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, pepper, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and light soy sauce. The marinated pork chops are then coated in a light batter and pan-fried. Meanwhile, egg fried rice is prepared and placed in a baking dish as the first layer. The fried pork chops are laid on top of the rice, followed by tomato sauce. Cheese is then added on top, and the entire dish is baked until the cheese is melted and the dish is hot. [4]

Cultural significance and popularity

Baked Pork Chop Rice is a symbol of Hong Kong's unique cultural identity. It utilizes both Western and Chinese cooking styles and condiments, embodies the city's East-meets-West ethos and shows how Western influences have made an impact in Hong Kong cuisine.[5] [6] Being one of the most popular foods in Hong Kong, it can be found in almost every corner of the city.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-02-07 . Baked pork chop rice: the history of a defining Hong Kong comfort food . 2024-03-15 . South China Morning Post . en.
  2. Web site: Hidden Hong Kong: History of baked rice, a heartwarming Hong Kong comfort food . 2024-03-14 . Localiiz . en.
  3. Web site: Lai . Christie . 2023-10-28 . Hong Kong Style Baked Pork Chop Rice . 2024-03-14 . Christie at Home . en-US.
  4. Web site: gong . christine . 2022-01-10 . Best Baked Pork Chop Rice Hong Kong (焗豬扒飯) . 2024-03-15 . A Dash of Soy . en-US.
  5. Web site: Journey East Zine Issue #4 . 2024-03-14 . journeyeast.co.
  6. Chan . Selina Ching . Tea cafés and the Hong Kong identity: Food culture and hybridity . China Information . November 2019 . 33 . 3 . 311–328 . 10.1177/0920203X18773409 . 31 March 2024 . en . 0920-203X.