Should Hong Kong’s baked pork chop rice be listed as an intangible heritage dish?
Classic Hong Kong favourite is combination of East and West, reflecting city’s unique colonial history and cultural evolution
At 7am every day, chef Aman Kwok arrives at his cha chaan teng in Shau Kei Wan to start preparing a wide variety of dishes ahead of the busy lunch hour – in particular, to make baked pork chop rice, a classic Hong Kong favourite.
His 35-year-old recipe contains egg fried rice with bits of pineapple, a tomato sauce and, of course, a pork chop topped with melted cheese.
Kwok, second-generation owner of the 50-seat Kam Shing Restaurant, said that the HK$70 (US$8.90) dish was a bestseller, accounting for about half of all orders every day.
“The tomato sauce is very appetising especially when it’s sweet and tart in the summer heat,” Kwok said. “With the large piece of pork chop and fried rice, it’s like satisfying several cravings in one go. It’s value for money and it’s efficient.”
The classic dish affectionately known as guk zyu – baked pork in Cantonese – is sold across the city, including at some of the most well-known fast food chains.
It has remained a reliable staple for locals for decades, with Kwok arguing it could be a unique selling point to tourists in showcasing the city’s culture.