Chinese New Year is not until January 28, but the outside the popular bak kwa (or bakkwa) stores in Singapore.
While many Singaporeans would gladly eat bak kwa all year round, Chinese New Year is traditionally the time when they indulge in these glistening slices of dried barbecued pork.
The salty-sweet dried meat is similar to jerky, and originates from the Fujian province in China, where it is considered a Hokkien delicacy, and poverty meant the consumption of meat was a luxury usually reserved for Chinese New Year.
Leftover meat would be preserved by slicing the meat into thin sheets and marinating them with sugar and spices, before air-drying the slices and cooking them over a hot plate.
Chinese immigrants brought bak kwa made to Singapore, where it has taken on local characteristics. The meat is still air-dried, but it is grilled over charcoal, which imparts a smokier flavour. It is also sweeter and softer than its Chinese counterpart.
And Singaporeans will wait for more than an hour to get their hands on some.
"It's like jerky, but bak kwa in Singapore essentially tastes like sweet BBQ pork," says Singapore local Cheryl Goh, who works as a commercial manager.
"Nowadays bak kwa can come in different flavour varieties, from the original sweet BBQ to spicy chilli, and now even in different types of meat. The defining factor that makes good bak kwa is its tenderness."
The tradition of eating it during Chinese New Year has passed on to Chinese Singaporeans and, as Miss Goh says, "for something so delicious, it's difficult not to follow".
At this time of year, , bak kwa will cost you around S$52-56/kg (AUD$48-52).
The most famous bak kwa in Singapore comes from , which has been satisfying the bak kwa cravings of Singapore's population since 1938.
Long winding queues of an hour or more are a given at this China Town hotspot, which boasts on its website: "Colleagues take turns queueing in the hot afternoons and employers have their staff queue, just for a taste of savoury bak kwa."
The long queues are because the bak kwa is cooked to order. Their signature bak kwa is sliced pork, but customers can also choose from bacon, chicken, beef, prawn, and fish varieties, plus a chilli pork and coin shaped options.
More unusual flavours can be found further afield. At , crocodile, red yeast, honey Kurobuta and turkey bak kwa are available.
"More and more innovative flavours are popping up to cater to the younger generation," says business development executive and bak kwa devotee Ryan Kuan, who says the quality of the bak kwa is determined by "how well the chef controls the fire to make sure that the meat slices are barbecued at the right temperature".
To get an idea of how seriously Singaporeans take their bak kwa, check out , which proves there's a style of bak kwa to suit every taste - even vegetarians.
In fact, if you've got more of a sweet tooth, you could try some bak kwa biscuits or ice cream.
The Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel serves up Bak Kwa Cornflake Cookies - sweet chunks of chicken bak kwa enclosed within crumbly cookies that are coated with cornflakes.
Or just pop a bit of bak kwa in your ice cream cone.
Singapore's love of bak kwa has lead to some interesting tributes.
Bak kwa earrings or necklace anyone?
If you can't make it to Singapore, you can try bak kwa in Australia. In Sydney you can buy bak kwa grilled daily at Singapore Famous BBQ Pork in Chinatown. Or order it online at and have it delivered to your door, anywhere in Australia. You won't even have to queue!
Watch Adam Liaw's brand-new series , Thursdays at 8pm on SBS. Watch as Adam gets up close and personal with this barbecued pork and explores the delicious hype for himself. Visit the for more details, recipes and guides.
