Yau gok

Yau gok
Alternative namesGok zai (角仔)
CourseChinese New Year dish
Place of originChina
Region or stateGuangdong, Hong Kong and Cantonese-speaking areas
Main ingredientsglutinous rice dough, various meat fillings
Yau gok
Chinese油角
Literal meaningoil dumpling
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinyóu jiǎo
Hakka
Romanizationyiu gok
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationyàuh gok
Jyutpingjau4 gok3
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese角仔
Literal meaningsmall dumpling
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinjiǎo zǎi
Hakka
Romanizationgok zai
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationgok jái
Jyutpinggok3 zai2

Yau gok (油角) or Jau gok (油角) is a traditional pastry found in Cantonese cuisine, originating from Guangdong Province in China. The term gok (角) reflects the crescent shape of the pastries;[1] they differ from the connotation of steamed or pan-fried Chinese dumplings, normally associated with the phonetically similar term Jiaozi (餃仔). They are most commonly prepared during Chinese New Year, and consumed in Cantonese-speaking regions and communities, including Hong Kong and Malaysia.[2]

Names

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There are quite a number of unofficial English names associated with this dish:

  • Peanut Puff
  • Crispy triangles
  • Fried oil dumplings
  • New year dumplings
  • Chinese new year dumplings

Preparation

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The pastry wrap is first made of glutinous rice dough. A crescent shape is formed to hold the fried ingredients used as filling. A batch of the pastries are either baked or deep fried in a wok.[3]

Salty version

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The savory version is generally called haam gok zai (simplified Chinese: 咸角仔; traditional Chinese: 鹹角仔; pinyin: xián jiǎo zǐ; Jyutping: haam4 gok3 zai2). There is a range of popular fillings that vary depending on regional culture. Common ingredients include pork, Chinese sausages, and Chinese black mushroom.[4]

Sweet version

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The sweet version is generally called tim gok zai (Chinese: 甜角仔; pinyin: tián jiǎo zǐ; Jyutping: tim4 gok3 zai2). The standard filling comprises grounded peanuts, white sesame seeds, and desiccated (dried) coconut crumbs mixed with sugar.[5] After the frying, this version is crunchy. This version is suitable for vegetarians.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "English translation of '角'". Collins dictionary.
  2. ^ "新年小食食譜|油角/角仔 (懶人簡易版)", Yahoo News, 27 January 2024
  3. ^ wantanmien (2012-01-14). "Chinese new year Yau kwok, 油角 (Cantonese)". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  4. ^ "广东咸角仔很好吃,你会做吗?进来看我这样做". sohu.com. 10 May 2023.
  5. ^ Wong, Sonia (23 January 2023). "Fried Sweet Peanut Dumplings for a Prosperous Lunar New Year". Food Network Canada.