Kok zai, curry puff, or baka baka? Singaporeans help identify CNY goodie

SINGAPORE: After receiving a CNY goodie he was unfamiliar with, an online user took to a forum on Wednesday (Jan 22) to ask Singaporeans to help him identify the delicacy. “Name this CNY goodie for me, please,” he wrote. “Someone gave me a bottle of CNY treats today. Looks like a curry puff-shaped bird’s nest. It’s brown and deep fried and sweet. He said it was called something like Baka Baka. I forgot already…can anyone tell me what it’s called?”

In a show of support, a handful put their CNY goodie knowledge to work, helping the writer identify what it was. From kok zai to curry puffs, commenters left possible answers in the post’s comments section.

“It’s called Kok zai (canto). I don’t know the English name, but if you search for Kok Zai on Google, it’ll appear,” said one, suggesting that the image was that of mini peanut puffs.

“Is it the earlobe biscuit?” suggested another, while a third wondered if it was dragon’s beard candy, a Chinese cotton candy. This particular CNY treat is made by pulling sugar by hand.

In the comments section of the post, among the other suggestions, one wrote, “Kara kara?” To which the writer responded, “Yes, thank you! Now I can go to sleep!”

With Chinese New Year approaching, many are looking for such traditional goodies. According to History, eating sweet delicacies typical of this holiday is believed to bring good fortune.

See also: CNY question: Are there any Chinese traditions that I can use to excuse myself from CNY visits because of my newborn?