Yau gok facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Gok zai (角仔) |
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| Course | Chinese New Year dish |
| Place of origin | China |
| Region or state | Guangdong, Hong Kong and Cantonese-speaking areas |
| Main ingredients | glutinous rice dough, various meat fillings |
| Yau gok | |||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 油角 | ||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | oil dumpling | ||||||||||||||||
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| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 角仔 | ||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | small dumpling | ||||||||||||||||
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Yau gok or jau gok are special dumplings from China. They come from the Guangdong Province. These tasty treats are a big part of Cantonese cuisine.
People often eat Yau gok during Chinese New Year. You can find them in places where Cantonese is spoken. This includes Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Contents
What Are Yau Gok Called?
Yau gok have many different English names. These names often describe how they look or what they are made of. Some common names include:
- Oil dumplings
- Peanut Puff
- Crispy triangles
- Fried oil dumplings
- New year dumplings
- Chinese new year dumplings
- Oil horn
Why Yau Gok Bring Good Luck
Yau gok are shaped to look like old Chinese money. They look like ancient coins called sycee. Because of this shape, many people believe eating Yau gok brings good fortune. This belief is part of the Taoist philosophy.
How Yau Gok Are Made
Making Yau gok starts with a special dough. This dough is made from glutinous rice. First, the dough is shaped into small dumplings. Then, these dumplings are deep fried in a large pan called a wok.
Savory Yau Gok Fillings
One type of Yau gok is savory. These are often called haam gok zai (simplified Chinese: 咸角仔; traditional Chinese: 鹹角仔; Mandarin Pinyin: xián jiǎo zǐ; Jyutping: haam4 gok3 zai2). The fillings can be different depending on the region. Common savory fillings include:
- Pork
- Pieces of Chinese sausage
- Pieces of Chinese black mushroom
Sweet Coconut Yau Gok
Another type of Yau gok is sweet. These are known as tim gok zai (Chinese: 甜角仔; Mandarin Pinyin: tián jiǎo zǐ; Jyutping: tim4 gok3 zai2). The sweet filling is usually made from dried coconut crumbs. These crumbs are mixed with sugar. After frying, this sweet version is very crunchy. It is also suitable for vegetarians.
See also
In Spanish: Jau gok para niños
