Bak-kwa Burger
There are four cornerstones to a classic Reuben: corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing.
Now, in a complete act of sacrilege, let’s make it Asian.
First, the corned beef. Curing and slow cooking meat isn’t just a Western thing; it’s present in virtually every culture, and the Chinese are no different. We have a whole slew of preserved meats known as lap yuk (腊肉). From sweet, chorizo-like sausages (lap cheong), to cured duck tongues and chicken gizzards, to goose legs cured whole like mini prosciutto hocks, you could argue that the Chinese curing industry goes way further than the Western one. And in Malaysia, one of the most ubiquitous types of lap-yuk is bak-kwa (or rou-gan/肉干 in Mandarin). It’s minced pork that has been cooked and cured with a sweet, spice mix, and is often compared to the American beef jerky. But really though, with it’s sweeter taste, and a softer, more tender texture that yields easily under each bite, it’s a fitting replacement for a Reuben’s corned beef.
Next, the sauerkraut, which is essentially fermented cabbage. Kimchi—that Korean culinary phenom of a fermented cabbage—definitely crosses the periphery here. But its funky flavour would be way too overpowering for the mild and meaty bak-kwa here. So instead, I opted for some milder, fruitier pickled papayas, then topped it up with a few slices of rice-vinegar-pickled cucumbers too, just for a bit more crunch variety.
Then, the Swiss cheese. This one’s simple. Just remove it entirely, because we Asians lactose intolerant AF.
Finally, the Russian dressing. The typical Russian dressing is a combination of ketchup & mayo, along with some other perfunctory condiments. As you can tell, I don’t find much appeal in this. (Sorry, ketchunnaise fans.) So instead—and to make up for our Swiss cheese cop out—we’re looking for a creamier, more potent condiment here. That’s where Japanese sesame dressing comes in. It’s strong in flavour and aroma, and its smoky, nutty creaminess, just lubricates all the seemingly disparate components together.
And so what do we get? A sweet, tangy, meaty hunk of a burger. A bak-kwa burger. A better Reuben. *Asian mic drop*
Bak-kwa Burger
Serves 1
Ingredients
Pickles (makes more than 1 portion)
200ml water
100ml rice vinegar
50g sugar
15g salt
½ a green papaya, sliced thin
2 baby cucumbers
Sesame dressing (adapted from Just One Cookbook)
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise (kewpie, preferably)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
½ tablespoon light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 brioche bun (bought, or use this NYT brioche recipe)
2 teaspoons salted butter
4 slices of bak-kwa (Chinese pork jerky)
Directions
Pickles: To make the pickling solution, place the water, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. In a mason jar or airtight container, place the slices of green papaya and the baby cucumbers, then pour in the hot pickling solution. Let it cool to room temperature, and then keep it in the refrigerator. Let it pickle for at least 2 days, or for longer, up to two months to really let the flavour seep in.
Sesame dressing: Toast the white sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat until golden brown. Then, using a small blender, or a mortar and pestle, grind the sesame seeds until roughly pulverised. Then, pour them into a bowl, and add to this the Japanese mayo, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and salt.
Brioche bun: Slice the brioche bun in half, horizontally. Then, spread a teaspoon of butter onto each side of the bun. Place the buns in a cold pan, buttered side down. Then, place the pan over medium heat, and cook it for 4-5 minutes, until nicely browned.
Assembly: Once the burger buns are browned, brush the sesame dressing onto the buns. Then, stack the bakkwa and pickles on the bottom bun, and cover with the top bun. Bak-kwa burger, done.