In the first part of this tour around the world’s barbeques we discovered the traditions of Japan, Korea, Argentina, South Africa and the Philippines.
In this second episode we continue to travel from one country to another, touching down in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Brazil, Germany and Taiwan.
Ikan bakar – Malesia, Singapore and Indonesia
Unlike many other dishes in this article, an Indonesian barbecue (as in both Malaysia and Singapore as well) is based on fish or – in some cases – seafood.
The fish is cooked on charcoal embers, wrapped in banana leaves. The key to what makes it special, however, lies mainly in the rest of the preparation: the use of coconut oil for marinating or margarine (applied with a brush during cooking) and a mix of herbs and spices that vary from region to region. The best-known recipe includes garlic, onion, chilli pepper, coriander, mandarin, tamarind juice, galanga and salt.
Char Siew (Char Siu)– China
Grilled pork is one of the most famous dishes of Cantonese cuisine and is prepared mainly with cuts such as loin, belly, shoulder and… lard!
Char siu means “roasted on a fork” and preparation is carried out like this: the deboned meat is marinated in a sweet sauce (which includes the famous 5 Chinese spices), then pierced by long forks and roasted on the embers or in the oven.
It comes served in a variety of ways, but the main ones are in a sandwich (chasiu baau), with noodles (chasiu min) or with rice (chasiu faan). Japan, Thailand and Indonesia also have their own versions, influenced by their own culinary culture.
Churrasco – Brasile
Churrascarie are so well-known they can be found all over the world!
The mixed grill of Rio Grande do Sul is prepared with many different types of meat (beef, pork, mutton and chicken) cut into large pieces, marinated and barbecued at a distance of about 50cm above the embers.
The distinctive flavour results from smoking the meat (due to the distance from the embers) and the exceptionally tasty sauce, usually based on oil, rosemary, garlic, pepper and salt.
The most prized cut is the picanha, the tail of the cow.
Bratwürst – Germany
We have all eaten them at some point: over the years, würstel have become an integral part of a typical barbeque.
There are many variations, strictly grilled: the term bratwürst refers to them all, in a generic way; Nürnberger are smaller sausages, while Weisswürst are white. There are also many other types based on beef, veal or pork, depending on the traditions of individual cities.
Mongolian barbecue – Taiwan
In this case name and actual origin are not connected. The Měnggǔ kǎoròu was in fact conceived in 1951 in Taipei by a native of Beijing, who fled the civil war. Its name was supposed to be “Beijing barbecue”, but the city from which the Beijing native had recently escaped had just been designated capital of communist China: to avoid political repercussions he opted for the more generic “Mongolian barbecue”.
The recipe is suitable for the most gluttonous: the meat is cooked on large round iron hotplates that reach 300°C and cut into slices and served with noodles, wok sautéed vegetables, cumin seeds and a generous dose of hot pepper.
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