Khòng-bah-pn̄g explained

Khòng-bah-pn̄g (Taiwanese: khòng-bah-pn̄g, alternatively 焢肉飯, 爌肉飯), as known as Braised pork rice, is a gaifan dish found in Fujianese cuisine and Taiwanese cuisine. Although subject to regional variations, dishes are typically made of pork belly cooked in a process known as lu (boiled and marinated in soy sauce and sugar) and served on top of rice. Chinese pickles are often eaten with the dish.

Braised pork belly likely originated from Quanzhou, China, and was brought to Taiwan by immigrants during the Qing Dynasty. Along with the similar lo bah png (minced pork rice), khong bah png gradually became an integral part of Taiwanese xiaochi culture, commonly found at food stalls or bento stores. Similar dishes can be found within Hakka cuisine, Singaporean, and Malaysian cuisine.[1] Braised pork rice is one of the most notable Taiwanese foods.[2]

Etymology

Although "焢" and "爌" are both variant characters, the two are more commonly used in the name of the dish than "炕". Additionally, even though all three characters each have different pronunciations in Mandarin Chinese, the Taiwanese Hokkien pronunciation khòng is colloquially used in place. Therefore, the dish is commonly referred to as kòngròufàn in Mandarin.[3] [4] [5]

In southern Taiwan, braised pork rice is referred to as 滷肉飯 (pinyin: lǔròufàn), which in northern and central Taiwan refers to minced pork rice. Minced pork rice is instead named "肉燥飯" in the south.[6]

Khong bah png in Changhua

Khong bah png is one of the three essential dishes in Changhua cuisine, along with ba-wan and cat-mouse noodles (similar to ta-a mi). The main difference is that rear leg pork is chosen instead of pork belly. Since the fat and lean meat from this cut often separates during preparation, vendors usually connect the two with a toothpick. The dish is eaten throughout the day, even including breakfast and siu yeh.[7]

In 2011, Changhua hosted a festival for Khong bah png. Eighteen local vendors were invited to serve the dish, and the event was visited by President Ma Ying-jeou.[8] [9] In 2012, Changhua set the Guinness World Record for the largest braised pork rice at .[10] [11] [12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. 尹全海,崔振儉,固始移民與閩臺文化研究:唐人故里閩臺祖地九州社 崧博出版社 金石堂, 2010
  2. Web site: Hiufu Wong . Maggie . 40 of the best Taiwanese foods and drinks . edition.cnn.com . 24 July 2015 . CNN . 8 April 2020.
  3. Web site: 【知識】焢肉飯還是爌肉飯?淺談這碗彰化特色美食 . SUNMAI.Life 餐酒生活誌 . 8 October 2019 . zh-tw . 11 February 2019.
  4. Web site: 【焢】火-08-12 . 教育部異體字字典 . . 8 October 2019 . zh-tw.
  5. Web site: 【爌】火-15-19 . 教育部異體字字典 . . 8 October 2019 . zh-tw . 8 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191008232155/http://dict2.variants.moe.edu.tw/yitib/frb/frb02447.htm . dead .
  6. Web site: 黃琮淵 . 滷肉飯郵票掀波 南部郵迷:沒三層肉 是肉燥飯 . . 8 October 2019 . zh-tw . 27 August 2013.
  7. News: Kiwi . 彰化爌肉飯特搜/一味百吃的家常菜 超彈牙肉質 讓你停不下嘴 . 13 October 2019 . . 17 September 2018 . zh-tw.
  8. News: 楊久瑩 . 焢肉飯耶誕樹點燈 彰化焢肉飯節啟動 . 8 October 2019 . . 16 December 2011 . zh-tw.
  9. News: 楊珊雯 . 2011彰化焢肉飯節 「焢肉飯不夜城」好呷經典美味!盼推廣米食創造商機! . 8 October 2019 . Taiwan National Net . 22 December 2011 . zh-tw.
  10. Web site: Largest braised pork rice . Guinness World Records . 6 November 2019.
  11. News: 吳為恭 . 647公斤焢肉飯 彰化破金氏紀錄 . 8 October 2019 . . 17 December 2012 . zh-tw.
  12. News: 吳哲豪 . 647公斤焢肉飯 創金氏紀錄 . 9 October 2019 . . 16 December 2012 . zh-tw.