Chinese sausage

Chinese sausageis a generic term referring to the many different types ofsausagesoriginating inChina. The southern flavor of Chinese sausage is commonly known by itsCantonesenamelap cheong(orlap chong,simplified Chinese:腊肠;traditional Chinese:臘腸;pinyin:làcháng;Jyutping:laap6 coeng2;Cantonese Yale:laahp chéung).
There is a choice of fatty or lean sausages. There are different kinds ranging from those made using fresh pork to those made using pig livers, duck livers and even turkey livers. Usually a sausage made with liver will be darker in color than one made without liver. Recently, there have even been countries producing chicken Chinese sausages. Traditionally they are classified into two main types. It is sometimes rolled and steamed indim sum.
Chinese sausage is used as an ingredient in a number of dishes in thesouthern Chineseprovinces ofGuangdong,Fujian,Jiangxi,Sichuan, andHunan, and alsoHong KongandTaiwan. Sichuan sausage contains and is flavored by red chili powder, Sichuan pepper powder, and Pixian bean sauce. Two common examples of such dishes includefried riceandlo mai gai(糯米雞). The traditional unpackaged forms are usually found instreet marketsorwet markets.
Innortheast China, especiallyHeilongjiang's largest cityHarbin,Harbin-style sausage(traditional Chinese:紅腸;simplified Chinese:红肠;pinyin:hóngcháng), a popular regional specialty, is a coarsely ground, smoked savory red sausage similar to Polish "country"kielbasaand Lithuanianskilandis. It was first manufactured in March 1909 byLithuanianstaff in a Russian-capitalized factory namedChurin Sausage Factory, located in Harbin's Daoli District. An alternative name isLidaosi(Chinese:里道斯),from Russianколбаса литовскаяkolbasa litovskaâ, "Lithuanian sausage".Harbin-style sausage subsequently became popular in China, especially in northern regions.A sweeter dried version similar to southern Chinese sausages is also produced.
InVietnamese, Chinese sausage is calledlạp xưởngorlạp xường.  It has been incorporated into a variety of dishes from simple omelets to more complex main courses.  Due to the salty taste of the sausages, they are used in moderation with other ingredients to balance the flavor.  The sausages are made from pork (lạp xưởng heo) or chicken (lạp xưởng gà), the latter of which yields a leaner taste.Tung lò mò(Cham: ꨓꨭꩂ ꨤꨟꨯꨱꨥtung lamaow) is a similar sausage made from beef by theChams(who areMuslim) in southern Vietnam.
InBurmese, the sausage is called eitherkyet u gyaung(chicken sausage;ကြက်အူချောင်း) orwet u gyaung(pork sausage;ဝက်အူချောင်း). The sausages made in Myanmar are more meaty and compact compared to those in Singapore or China. They are usually used in fried rice and along with fried vegetables, mostly cabbage.
In thePhilippines, Chinese sausage is an ingredient in some Chinese-Filipino dishes likesiopaobola-bola. It is sometimes confused with and used in place of the native sausageChorizo de Macao(which is also sometimes known as "Chinese chorizo"). The latter is not derived from the Chinese sausage, but derives its name from the use ofstar anise, which is associated with Chinese cuisine in the Philippines.
Taiwanalso produces a similar form of sausage; however, they are rarely dried in the manner of Cantonese sausages. The fat and meat may be emulsified, and a larger amount of sugar may be used, yielding a sweeter taste. These sausages are usually produced by localbutchersand sold at markets or made at home. This variant of Chinese sausage is known asxiangchang(香腸) in Mandarin Chinese, literally meaning fragrant sausage.
Singaporeproduces innovative Chinese sausages that could be considered healthier than the traditional variety. Examples include low-fat, low-sodium, and high-fibre Chinese sausages.
InThai, Chinese sausage is calledkun chiang(Thai:กุนเชียง) after its name in theTeochew dialect(贯肠,kwan chiangin Teochew), the dominant Chinese language within theThai Chinesecommunity. It is used in several Chinese dishes by the sizeable Thai Chinese community, and also in someThai dishessuch asyam kun chiang, aThai saladmade with this sausage.
There is also Chinese sausage made withsnakehead fish(pla chon;Thai:ปลาช่อน).
InSuriname, Chinese sausage is referred to by aHakka Chineseword (fa1cong3 花肠 'motled sausage') rendered asfatjong,fachong,fa-chong,fashong, orfasjongin colloquial spelling. It is part of the dishmoksi meti tyawmin(mixed meatchow mein).
Chinese sausages are generally available inAsian supermarketsoutside Asia, mostly in a vacuum-packaged form, although some Chinese groceries sell the unpackaged varieties as well. These tend to be made domestically due to prohibitions on import of meat products from overseas.For example, many of the Chinese sausages sold inCanadaare produced by a number of manufacturers based inVancouverandToronto.Lap cheongis also a very popular sausage in Hawaii due to large numbers of Chinese in Hawaii who have incorporated it into local cuisine.