It is Chinese New Year 2021, day 1 as of writing. As most of us has sadly predicted, the Chinese New Year this year is indeed different due to the restrictions enforced by the Malaysian government due to the pandemic crisis. Unlike the yesteryears where it’s a tradition for families to make a trip back to hometown to celebrate Chinese New Year with their elderlies, this year everyone have to strike off that from their ‘to-do list’ as traveling and crossing state borders is still restricted.

To be honest, I’m quite frustrated and extremely annoyed that our movements are still restricted but since Covid19 infection cases is still out of control, there’s nothing much I can do about it. Anyway, enough ranting about Covid19. It’s Chinese New Year, and regardless of restrictions, my family and I are still celebrating…not the common way, but the new and improvised way, that is.

Instead of traveling back to hometown for reunion dinner and visiting relatives from house to house, we take everything online. We organized online reunion so that we still can greet each other and celebrate together despite of the physical distances, we still can be connected and celebrate the auspicious day together. Covid19 or not, traditions and togetherness should still be kept alive. If we don’t, that’s when the Covid19 truly beat you.

Apart from staying in front of the PC for online gatherings, we indulged in good food as well. Well, at least that’s what I do. I cooked some auspicious food for my family and snacks on goodies all day long.

And here’s sharing with you a Chinese New Year’s snack that’s worth mentioning; the Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah.

Thi is not just your ordinary Bak Kwa, mind you. It’s Halal Bak Kwa.

For those who are not familiar with this delicacy, Bak Kwa is traditionally a slice of sweet BBQ-ed sliced meat, usually made from pork or chicken. It is popular among the Hokkien and it is believed to be originated from Fujian, China. The process of making Bak Kwa is extremely tedious and must be of high quality, and therefore, Bak Kwa is considered a luxury food and it is only served during special occasions like Chinese New Year.

Typically made from pork , Bak Kwa is definitely non-halal and Muslims cannot eat it as pork meat is haram for consumption. Even the chicken variant of Bak Kwa is questionable in status as the chicken meat used might not be processed according to the Islamic Sharia, but these I’ve been snacking on is Halal, made by our very own fellow Malaysian Muslim, Firdaus Feeq. All the ingredients for Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah are sourced from Halal certified suppliers and was prepared in the most hygenic way and no preservatives are used in the making of the Bak Kwa.

Firdaus Feeq, the innovator, founder and the main chef of Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah aspire to allow Muslims nationwide, especially Muslim reverts to enjoy this delicacy as well. Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah is definitely a game changer in the Halal Chinese food industry, as the demand for Halal Chinese food is increasing by the day.

Made from premium, high quality beef and chicken, Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah is a must try. They are currently offering 6 variants of Bak Kwa; the Original, Madu Tualang and Spicy Szechuan, in beef or chicken flavour. They are sealed-packed in a vacuum plastic

Now, let me be honest. I cannot make any comparison between Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah and the non-halal version made from pork, as I don’t eat pork, and have never tried them before. All I’ve had before all these years during Chinese New Year is the vegetarian version made from mushrooms and soybeans but I can assure you that Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah tastes really good.

These chicken and beef slices is to die for. Once you open the seal of the Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah’s packaging, you’ll immediately smell this irresistibly delicious smoky fragrant wafting around to tempt you to eat one slice after another. The
Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah melts in the mouth and is highly addictive. They’re all sweet meats except the Spicy Szechuan version of the Bak Kwa.

Unlike the vegetarian version that I’ve tried before, these Bak Kwa are not dry, on the contrary, it’s surprisingly juicy, despite being smoked for hours. Initially I thought they would be a tad try, but they’re not. A welcoming sensation, I must say. My favourite is the Szechuan flavour, which was really spicy and a real kicker. A must try for spicy food lovers.

The Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah is a ready to eat food item and is good on it’s own, but some of you might prefer to pan fry it before eating them or pair it a slice of bread. The Szechuan flavour of the The Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah would pair well with a plate of piping hot white rice as well.

So, do is the Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah a yay or nay? Well, it’s a yay, that goes without saying. They’re sensational and the best part? They are Muslim-friendly. If you are a Muslim or looking for authentic Halal Chinese delicacy for your own consumption or a gift for your friends or colleagues during this festive season, then I’d suggest you to give this a go.

Wanna make some orders. Dendeng Bak Kwa Cik Midah can be bought HERE on their official store im Shopee.