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Simple Hakka cuisine stays close to its roots
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HAKKA cuisine tends to feature fresh ingredients and simple cooking methods that have not changed much over thousands of years.
Hakka literally means “guest family” in Chinese. This is a reference to the large-scale migrations of the Hakka people that took place sporadically throughout their history. Today, about 80 million Hakka people can be found around the world including some in Singapore, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Hakka people have usually lived in large groups in mountainous areas, which in the past restricted communication with the outside world. Thus their customs have largely remained the same.
This also applies to food.
Although the majority of Hakka people now dwell in Guangdong and Fujian provinces, their culture and cuisine is rather different from Cantonese people.
Hakka cuisine is not known for its seafood. Poultry is the main meat since Hakka people follow the dietary habits of their ancestors from the central plains near the Yellow River in northern China.
Hakka people strongly believe that meat from wild chickens, ducks and quails is better than that from domesticated poultry.
Various cereals, sweet potatoes and taro are other popular foods. They will also eat brown rice, which has a mild, nutty flavor and is more nutritious than white rice.
Brewing, toasting and simmering are the most common cooking methods of Hakka cuisine. Homemade rice wine is used in many Hakka dishes. Herbs are also common because Hakka people believe they can strengthen the body.
Shanghai Daily breaks down three common Hakka dishes and recommends restaurants serving these foods.
Brewed tofu
Hakka people have experienced extreme poverty at various points in history. At these times, meat was too expensive for most families and it was only eaten during important festivals.
Tofu became a cheap substitute for meat since it is a good source of protein.
Through the years tofu has remained an important part of Hakka cuisine.
Brewed tofu is one of the signature dishes of Hakka cuisine. It is said that once upon a time two friends dined together. One wanted pork while the other preferred tofu. The restaurant owner created tofu stuffed with pork filling to satisfy both of his customers.
The filling is shredded pork with mushrooms, starch, sesame oil, shallots, chili and soy sauce. Making the dish requires great care as tofu breaks apart easily. The chef needs to gently poke a hole in the tofu before putting in the pork filling. Then fry with seasonings.
Where to find it:
Wei Long San Xun Restaurant
Address: 104 Dadou Rd
Tel: (0571) 5811-1568
Pork tripe stuffed with chicken
Stuff a whole chicken into a pork tripe, then tightly tie both ends with seaweed. Then stew the stuffed pork tripe in a pot of soup, which has been simmered for hours with various herbs. After the meat is boiled, take it out and dice it. After dicing, place back in the soup and continue to stew.
The meat becomes very tender with a mellow taste and herbal fragrance. Add sausages and mushrooms to the soup for an even better taste explosion.
It is said this delicacy was created for a concubine of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The story goes that the concubine lost her appetite after giving birth. Imperial doctors improved a folk recipe — pork tripe with chicken and precious herbs — to treat the concubine. She eventually recovered. Thereafter, the dish has been considered good for the health of women who have recently given birth.
Where to find it:
Fu Sheng Ji Restaurant
Address: 136 Wenyi Rd
Baked chicken with salt
About 300 years ago the Hakka people living in Dongjiang area of Guangdong Province made a living by making salt. They also used salt to store chicken meat longer. They pickled chicken with salt and then baked it with condiments.
The dish later spread across China. The crisp chicken skin along with fresh and tender meat typifies Hakka cuisine. It can be found today in both ordinary eateries and upscale restaurants.
Where to find it:
Jiu Qi Feng Restaurant
Address: 130 Shuguang Rd
Tel: (0571) 8763-3631
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