Cleaver Cut Flat Noodles Soup - dao ma chet 刀嬷切

Savouring this Hakka dish is a nostalgic trip down memory lane. You can literally taste and smell the aroma from food stalls in the markets of the far east.

I used ready made northern Chinese noodles "dao xiao mian"刀削麵 bought from the chilled section of Asian supermarket. It may be slightly thinner than Hakka "dao ma chet" 刀嬷切 but a good substitute that is easy to boil. Smooth and chewy.

If you are adventurous, try making the noodles from scratch with flour, water and alkaline water. Knead till pliable and round the dough. Let it rest (covered) for 1 hour. Knead, flatten, fold into waves, cut thinly with large sharp knife. As self explanatory from the name, the Hakka noodles are sliced thinly with a cleaver while the latter is shaved.

Recipe :

Prepare the soup using 2 bowls of chicken stock and 2 bowls of anchovy stock. (Tip : Korean made pure ground anchovy powder in muslin bag tastes natural and better than granules.) Add a little salt, brown sugar, pepper and light soy sauce according to taste.

Vegetables : carrots, mushrooms, small block of soy bean curd (firm) and baby bok choy (preferably the type with white and succulent stems that won't become soft easily when cooked).

Meat ingredients : thinly sliced chicken fillet, pork or beef, deveined prawns, fish fillet, fish ball, hard boiled egg.

(Optional : stir fry pork or chicken mince in a little oil and and oyster sauce and set aside as a topping.)

When soup is almost boiling, blanch the vegetable ingredients and set aside. Season with dark soy sauce and sesame oil.

While the soup is simmering, boil another pot of water for blanching the noodles. Separate the noodles before putting into the boiling water. When noodles turn a little translucent, it is cooked. Drain well and dish up into a bowl with a little oil.

Garnish and Condiments : fried crispy anchovy, fried garlic, fried shallot, spring onion, toasted seaweed, fried chilli paste in oil, dark vinegar with ginger slices. (Optional but highly recommended as all these would enhance the taste of a simple noodle soup).

To serve :

Put desired portion of cooked noodles in a bowl.

Pour hot soup over the noodles and let it steep for 5 seconds.

Then top with condiments and sauces as you wish.

Enjoy!

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Did Hakka originate from Huns or Xiongnu?

It is possible that

some Xiongnu disguised as Han and move to the south with the Han. Many Han aristocrats also had hundreds to thousands of Xiongnu servants and soldiers.

Hakka language was probably spoken by many Han Chinese in central China. A Hun language would not have survived under hostile political conditions.

Even if some Hakkas were Xiongnu, their language, behavior must be totally integrated with Han to survive this era. Culturally speaking, if certain Hakka were Xiongnu decendents, they should be totally indistinguishable from the Hans.
It is not impossible, but unlikely that 400 years can upgrade the identity and class of Xiongnu to equal the Hans.

Source : Asiawind Hakka History

History of the Hakkas - revolution as an enterprise?

A disproportionately high percentage of Hakkas hold key government positions throughout Chinese history.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/654189

Hakka cultural heritage diluted even as leaders urge continuity

Hakka leaders of the present generation throughout the world voice strong support for Hakka cultural heritage. However, how could these statements be translated into concrete action could not be determined. As far as the Lee family of Singapore is concerned, their Hakka descent is ambivalent.
The Lee family being peranakans spoke Malay and English at home. They may retain some Chinese core values such as the spirit of perseverance and diligence but it is difficult to pin it down to Hakka traits alone. Clan associations have to reinvent themselves to attract young families or else suffer the fate of dwindling membership and eventual demise.

SINGAPORE, Dec 14 — The Hakka community, a small dialect group in Singapore, has a culture that should be passed down to the younger generation, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday. Lee, a Hakka himself, gave several suggestions on how they can do so, in a speech that traced the migration of the
Hakka people and their spirit of diligence and resilience.He was speaking at the 80th anniversary dinner of the Nanyang Khek Community Guild, the umbrella group for 24 Hakka clan groups here.As a result of their indomitable nature, the Hakkas have contributed to the prosperity of their new home countries although they tended to be in the minority wherever they settled, he said. In Singapore, they produced several ministers, he noted, naming his father Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, the late Finance Minister Hon Sui Sen, former Finance Minister Richard Hu and former Cabinet minister Howe Yoon Chong.Among the younger politicians, they include Minister of State for Manpower, Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan, and MPs Josephine Teo and Lam Pin Min.PM Lee, who spoke in Chinese, urged the clan associations to help young Hakkas learn about their history and the qualities of their people.Speaking in Mandarin, he said: “The challenge today is to preserve and pass on the Hakka cultural heritage.“It is important that young
Hakkas know where their ancestors came from, what they stand for, and inherit the indomitable spirit and tenacity of their ancestors.”The community is the fourth-largest dialect group in Singapore, making up about 8 per cent of the nation’s Chinese population.

Lee urged the guild and other Hakka associations to
organise interesting activities to attract young people, and spread the word through new channels such as the Internet, in order to make the heritage come alive for the new generation.The guild should also keep up to date with the
rapidly changing world, and keep its links to China and other Hakka organisations around the world, he added.

In tracing their migration to southern China, he said the Hakkas often lived in the less fertile regions and had to eke out a living in harsh conditions.He noted that Hakka women did not bind their feet but worked hard in the fields with the men.“Consequently, they developed a resolute spirit and adaptable nature,” he said.

The Hakkas came to Singapore in the early 19th century, and ventured into areas such as Chinese medicine and
pawnbroking in later years.“A lot of pawnshops here were opened by Hakkas,” he said to laughter from the audience of more than 1,000 people at the Raffles City Convention Centre. Noting that the guild had remained a vibrant organisation for the past 80 years, Lee — who is also its honorary adviser — called on it to continue to attract young members and groom new leaders.Marketing manager Chong Wei Tien agrees as she sees the benefits of knowing and keeping her Hakka roots.“It’s like a brotherhood. When anyone needs help, the clans will offer assistance,” said the 28-year-old, whose father takes her three-year-old daughter to the clan association every week.

— The Straits Times

Taiwan Hakkas celebrate Yi Min

Yimin (or “righteous people”, 義民) was a title the Qing dynasty bestowed upon Hakka who helped the Qing government put down an uprising by the Fujianese in Taiwan in the 1700s.The uprising led to the deaths of more than 200 people in Hsinchu. The bodies were buried at the local Sinpu-Fangliao Yimin Temple.Hakka celebrate the memory of the Yimin on the 20th of the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

http://www.taiwantodaynews.com/index.php/hakka-festival-celebrates-history-food-and-culture

Forum on Penang Hakka folks

CHUNG Ling High School, Chinese daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh and the Penang Philomathic Union all have one thing in common — Sun Yat-Sen and the Penang Hakka community.
Their history and connection are among the topics that will
be discussed during the upcoming ‘Hakka Study and Research and the Chinese Communities of Penang’ forum at Han Chiang College on May 2.

The forum will be the second joint effort between the college and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

---

He added that the Federation of Malaysian Hakka Associations also had high hopes of establishing a Hakka Village Cultural Centre in Balik Pulau soon.

The Hakka studies and research forum will start at 9am at the Han Chiang College hall. It will kick off with a dialogue session with Han Chiang and NUS academicians at 9.20am.

Three research papers on the Hakka community will be presented by post graduate NUS students at 10.45am.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/4/29/north/3758855&sec=North

Most people have the impression that most Penang residents are Hokkien and Peranakan. There is however a sizeable number of Penangites whose ancestry could be traced to Hakka origins but most have learnt to speak Hokkien for convenience.

Taro / yam braised meat -- yu tou kou rou 芋头扣肉

Tantalising taro arranged alternately with double cooked belly pork

Cooking the belly pork entails various stages. Ensure that you prepare hours in advance. Firstly, the pork has to be marinated in soy sauce and five spice powder for at least an hour. Drain the sauce before frying the fatty portion in a hot frying pan. Quickly transfer into a pot with the marinade and bring to the slow boil. Add 2 cloves of garlic. Lower the heat and simmer with lid on till tender and fragrant. This should take at least an hour or two. Then cool the meat. Remove and slice into smaller pieces.

Meanwhile, panfry the taro (yam) till slightly golden brown (half cooked).
Arrange taro and pork belly slices alternately in a large bowl. Adding fermented red beancurd will lend the dish more flavour, aroma and colour. Use fu ru sparingly as it can be very salty.

Steam over boiling water in a large pot or wok covered for 45 minutes to an hour. Ensure that water does not dry up or it may damage your cooking utensils or could even be dangerous. To tell if it's ready, the yam and meat should be quite soft and amalgamated. Place a large dish over the bowl and press tightly. Quickly invert the bowl and put on the table. Remove the bowl which has served as a mould while cooking.


This is a very popular dish among Hakkas who lived in Guangzhou. It is an adaptation from trademark Hakka dish salty mustard braised pork belly.

Another recipe : http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/01/taro-yam-braised-belly-pork.html
Mei cai kou rou : http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/03/mei-cai-kou-ro.html

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Different recipes for rice wine making and dishes - drunken chicken soup

Chicken Rice Wine Soup is a great comfort food in cold winters and post-natal convalescence.

Unlike most soups, the meat has to be stir fried with garlic, ginger and rice wine in medium heat till fragrant and three quarters cooked. Add sesame oil and proportionate amount of water as desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes and it is ready to be served with steamed rice.

This recipe is attributed to my mother.

Please refer to an earlier post : http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/03/hakka-rice-wine.html

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Hakka Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup is a popular post natal "confinement" dish because it is high in protein and a variety of nutrients such as omega3, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.. Please note that black beans are round and not the same as kidney beans used in Mexican cooking.

Black beans could be pre-fried in advance. Beans that are not soaked or fried before cooking tends to produce a strong bean taste and are not easily digestible.

Fry black beans in a heavy skillet or wok without oil in medium heat. Keep stirring to prevent the beans from burning. This could take about 30 minutes. Be patient and do not overheat the beans.

Parboil pork ribs or pig tail briefly in medium hot water. Do not let it overboil. Remove from heat and refresh with cold water.

In a large stock pot, submerge meat in cold water and bring to the boil. Add black beans and chicken stock. Continue boiling with the lid covered, checking that it does not overflow. When it is boiled, turn down the heat and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Add salt according to taste.

Stuffed Doufu in Hot Claypot

Dongjiang (Tong Kong) in Guangdong province, Meixian district, is known for its clear mountain waters which are said to be excellent for producing the best snow white and succulent doufu (tofu). Hakkas in Dongjiang have mastered the art of cooking tofu. This dish is cooked in a claypot to retain all the heat and flavours until it is ready to be served.

Cut 2 blocks of firm and silky tofu into rectangular bite sizes.

Blend mince lean pork, fish paste, dried shrimp, salted fish by chopping and blending vigorously with chopsticks. Alternatively, use an electric blender. Add salt, pepper and starch solution at every 5 minute interval.

Scoop a dollop of minced meat and press firmly on top of each beancurd, taking care not to dent it. Fry in oil till cooked.

Heat up frying pan with vegetable oil. Saute garlic, spring onion and ginger in this sequence. Bring 3 TBS of chicken stock to the boil in a claypot. Add garlic, spring onion and ginger.

Put in the vegetables : carrot, spinach or cabbage and simmer. Add the cooked beancurd. Drizzle a little soy sauce, sesame oil and oyster sauce.
Cover and bring to a gradual boil.

References to other types of stuffed tofu :

Compare this with fried tofu http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/04/pan-fried-niang-dou-fu.html

and assorted stuffed vegetables and beancurd variations http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/search?q=niang+dofu

Spicy Eggplant (aubergine) with minced pork, basil and mint

Thumbs up for this delicious and nutritious Hakka dish that is easy to prepare. The myraid of flavours makes it a good companion for a meal with rice and soup. You can imagine this must be very popular in the old days where meat was expensive and scarce.

Peel and slice eggplant. Soak them in salty solution if not cooking immediately. Drain well. Deep fry cut eggplant pieces (with out without flour or batter) in sufficient amount of heated vegetable oil. Healthier alternatives are to steam the eggplant for a few minutes or slow bake in the oven for 30 minutes till soft and cooked.

Wash. drain and air dry mint leaves and basil leaves from 2 to 3 stalks each. Set aside for later use.

Fry chopped garlic and onions till fragrant. Add minced pork marinated in light soy sauce and pepper and fry till well cooked.

Return cooked eggplant to the pot. Add oyster sauce, chopped chillies, spicy bean sauce and sesame oil. Give the mixture a quick stir on high heat. Finally, add mint and basil leaves as garnishing before serving.

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Toasted Rice Biscuit and Roast Rice Tea

炒米饼 Cao Mi Bing (Toasted Rice Biscuits) also known as "powdery crisp" in some parts of China should melt in the mouth instead of rock hard.
My regrets not getting the recipe of this Chinese New Year must-have from my late granny. I have a hazy idea of the recipe and searching the internet for clues have not helped much either.

According to traditional recipes, white glutinous rice grains are sieved and washed to remove impurities. Drain and air dry before dry frying (without oil) in a large wok or flat pan till golden colour. Similarly, mung bean flour should be fried till fragrant. Add fine castor sugar, vegetable oil or fragrant oil to the flours. Blend well. Some recipes recommend boiling the sugar into a carmalised syrup which I can imagine would be more difficult to combine with the flour. Adding a little beaten egg will help to bind the biscuit. Press the mixture into biscuit moulds and knock it out on the baking tray. In the old days, the cookies are baked in a charcoal fuel cooker.
Rice biscuits are now easily available in the grocery stores all around the world. Rice cookies from Macau contain ground Chinese almonds (apricot kernels) and groundnuts, making it more fragrant and crunchy.

Roast Rice Tea

A comforting beverage during winter and for women after delivery. Roast rice tea is quite similar to Japanese or Korean green tea with roast rice (minus the tea leaves). It has warming properties and leaves a pleasant after taste. Dry fry rice grains as in the above method of preparing toast rice biscuits. When cooled, store rice grains in an air tight bottle. A teaspoon of rice grains is sufficient to make a cup of tea

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Fried Pork with Black Fungus and Savory Red Sauce - "Hakka style Zha Nguek" 炸肉 zha rou

The dish is sometimes called deep fried pork with red bean sauce known as 炸肉 (pronounced zha2 rou4 in Mandarin and za nguek in Hakka).

It is a must-have dish for special occasions in Hakka (kejia) families.  This is a must-have for birthdays and weddings.

Like most Hakka dishes, it was supposed to be salty but the flavours can be adjusted by the cook to suit different palates.

The main ingredients are quite simple : marbled belly pork (washed and sliced into cubes) and black wood ear fungus (soaked and cut).

Marinate the meat in five spice powder, ginger extract and light soy sauce for at least one hour.

Prepare batter mixture with eggs, flour and a pinch of rice flour. Whip till a thick consistency is formed.

Deep fry the battered meat till golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Prepare sauce for pouring over the meat or dipping : saute garlic till fragrant, then add a dash of wine and fu ru * in chicken stock to simmer.

If you like a more flavoursome and rich sauce, add a little wine (yellow rice wine, huadiao or any cooking wine), oyster sauce and brown sugar.

(Note : "fu ru" 红腐乳 also known as "nan ru" 南乳 commonly described as red fermented soy cheese)
My aunt who lived with my grandparents used to cook this dish for every festive meal or birthday celebrations.

Many thanks to my friend's mother's network of friends who provided inputs for the above recipe.

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Pan Fried Niang Dou fu 煎酿豆腐

Panfried Niang Doufu with light cornstarch on a bed of lettuce.

An all-time favourite for those who love wholesome Hakka cuisine.


For deep-fried yong tofu, please check out an earlier post :
http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/search?q=niang+dofu

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Alkaline Rice Dumpling with bean filling 简粽

This is a followup to an earlier post on meat dumplings :

http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2008/12/rice-dumpling-with-meat-filling-zhong.html



Here's the nostalgic alkaline, chewy, soft and sticky glutinous rice dumpling with mung bean filling, drizzled with brown or yellow syrup. In Hakka, it's called "gun shui joong". A good dumpling is uniformly soft in texture. This demands meticulous sorting of random long grain rice from the glutinuous rice before mixing the ingredients and cooking them.

A simple Hakka meal for guests

A meal served at Zheng Cheng Lou at Yongding County, South China : rice and dishes.

From top left : Mei Cai Kou Ro; fried fresh water fish; steamed fish ball; salted chicken; marrow stew with meat, fried tofu and melon soup (centre).

Link :

http://oneworldtalk.freeforums.org/hakka-cuisine-t158.html

以家常便饭待客

Meicai Kou Rou 梅菜扣肉

Recipe for Belly Pork with Pickled Mustard in Stew Bowl
梅菜扣肉 mei cai kou rou

Wash dried meicai and soak in warm water for 10 minutes, remove, rinse and drain.

Marinate belly pork with dark soy sauce for 30 minutes. Adding five spice powder is optional.

Fry pork in a heavy pan under high heat till the skin is crispy. Alternatively, use sliced roast pork that has a layer of crackling skin commonly sold at Chinese BBQ stores.

Fry garlic in oil, add meicai and stir fry briefly till fragrant. - Add sugar and huadiao rice wine. - Assemble pork, meicai in a bowl, either in alternately or layered.

Prepare a double boiler or steamer. Steam for at least one hour. Using a pressure cooker will take only 15 minutes or less.

Invert the bowl of meicai kou ro over a dish and serve.

The Taiwanese eat it with steamed white buns with a slit in the centre to stuff the meat filling, somewhat similar to the pockets of pita bread but has a softer and more spongy texture.

Hakka Rice Wine 客家米酒

Hakka Glutinous Rice Wine

A recipe adapted from my beloved late grandma :

1 kg of glutinous rice (soak for 1/2 hour) & washed.

2 wine yeast balls (preferably 1 sweet & 1 bitter, either Shanghai or southern) -- pounded into powder form

Red sorghum - few grains mainly for colouring, won't affect the taste

Using rice cooker to steam the rice is easier. Or use a bamboo rack over boiling water in a covered pot. Rice must be completely cooled before putting into clay, ceramic or porcelain urn.

Alternately layer rice, yeast, and repeat till ingredients are fully utilised.

Sprinkle red sorghum on top.

Cover with clean white cloth. Keep in cool dark place. Do not open for the first two weeks.

Note : everything from the wash basin, rice cooker, porcelain jar, sieve, cloth, ladle, cabinet, floor, worktop, hands, etc have to be absolutely clean. Otherwise, mould will grow instead and the mixture does not ferment into wine.

After 30 days, sieve and filter rice wine and keep in a bottle (no plastics please!). The residue (jiu zao) can be used for cooking prawns or meat.

The Fuzhou version contains more wine yeast and more red sorghum. It therefore takes a longer time to ferment compared to It's good for stir fry dishes whereas Hakka wine tastes excellent when cooking chicken wine (gai jiu).

Caution : go easy for those with high blood pressure and strong "yang". Safer to take in on rainy days or in winter and of course for post-natal confinement ladies.

Deep Fried Chicken Wings in Red Fermented Tofu

This is my aunt's speciality. The wife of my maternal uncle used to whip up some traditional Hakka dishes for birthday and wedding banquets held in villages and homes of the hosts.

The chicken wings have to be cleaned and air dried. If using frozen chicken, ensure they are thoroughly thawed before you add the seasoning.

Marinate with one or two pieces of red fermented tofu (Mandarin - nan ru; Hakka - lam yuoi), a dash of pepper and pinch of sugar.

Coat lightly with all purpose flour before frying. Some like to dip into beaten egg to prevent the flour from falling off and clouding the cooking oil. It's optional.

Ensure that there is sufficient amount of oil to cover the meat and heat it up to medium high temperature before frying the meat. Ready once it's golden brown and firm.

This dish can be quite salty, so go easy on the "lam yuoi". Well, Hakka food is known to be strong in tastes and appetizing. In the old days, Hakka farmers need to eat more rice to build up their physique for manual work and ward off intruders. Salt is a natural preservative and helps to keep the food better for days as large quantities are cooked to feed an extended family.

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Spinach Soup - packed with minerals and vitamins

Red Spinach Soup

A nutritious and delicious soup that is easy to cook is none other than mom's favourite spinach simmered in anchovy broth. In Hakka, it's pronounced as "han choy soon" or "hyin choy tong" in Cantonese or "heng chai turng" in Hokkien.

Firstly, wash and drain Asian spinach leaves. The stalk must be skinned so that it would not be too tough and fibrous.

If making the anchovy stock the old fashioned way from scratch, wash dried anchovy (jiang yu in Chinese or ikan bilis in Malay), add to a pot of water and bring to the boil. Filter in through a fine sieve and use only the clear stock for making soup. You may add more water to the residue and boil a second round of stock.

Dried anchovy powder in muslim sachets are available in Korean or Japanese supermarkets. They are a better alternative to processed ikan bilis granules which are more likely to contain artificial flavouring, colours, MSG and preservatives.

Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Sesame oil is optional. Serve while the soup is warm.

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Pan Fried Bitter Melon

Earlier, I shared my aunt's recipe of bitter gourd with ribs and bean sauce.

http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/01/aunties-special-bitter-gourd.html

Here is another recipe for those who prefer crunchy rather than soft bitter melon, stir frying would yield the desired results. It takes a shorter time to cook this dish that is refreshing especially in summer time.

• Soak bitter melon slices in salt water for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
• Dry fry bittermelon in medium heat till slightly dry. Push to the side of the pan or dish up.
• Caramelise brown sugar. Add a little oil and fry chopped garlic.
• Return bitter melon to the centre of the heat.
• Add prawn or chicken slices and fry till cooked.
  The texture of the melon should be a little crunchy.

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Fragrant Taro Rice 芋头饭Hakka phonetic : "wu tael fun"

Taro, a root vegetable commonly known as yam, is a versatile ingredient and often used in Hakka cuisine such as savory rice and braised pork. In Hakka phonetic (rendition) it is pronounced as "woo tael fun".

http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/01/taro-yam-braised-belly-pork.html

This nutritious one-dish meal apparently has some Chaozhou (Te chiu) influence owing to the large number of Hakkas who reside in Guangzhou.

Besides diced yam, the ingredients comprise mushrooms, dried shrimp and chicken fillet. It looks like hard work but all the time and effort are worthwhile.

You may add some glutinous rice (presoak for 30 minutes) for a more soft and chewy texture.

For step-by-step recipe of taro rice, please follow this link :

Taro (yam) rice is a one dish meal, wholesome and delicious. To cook tasty taro rice can be time consuming and requires some basic culinary skills. Give allowance to preparation time and follow the instructions closely for better results.

Ingredients

1 cup of yam - diced into cubes (approx 1/2 of a large yam - preferably sharp olive-shaped as they are more floury than the round ones)

120 g of chicken fillet or pork belly - sliced thinly 6 medium Chinese dried black mushroom (soak in water to soften, remove stem and cut into thin strips or cubes; keep the water for later use.)

50 g dried shrimps (wash and soak briefly, drain and set aside) 1/2 cup white glutinuous rice (soak for 1 hour)

3/4 cup white long grain rice (wash and drain just before cooking)

5 eschallots (sliced finely)

2 cloves garlic (diced)

4 tablespoons cooking oil

Seasoning : according to taste Light soy sauce; dark soy sauce; oyster sauce; fish sauce; white pepper.

Method

1. Fry shallots and garlic in oil till light golden colour. Do not overcook as burnt garlic is bitter. Drain, remove from heat and set aside.

2. Using the garlic oil, fry all the ingredients separately, dish out and move on to the next item : dried shrimp, meat, mushroom. Replenish cooking oil if the frying pan gets too hot and dry.

3. Fry yam till lightly browned.

4. Fry glutinous rice and white rice till semi-cooked. Be patient, keep stirring to prevent rice from sticking to the frying pan or wok. It will take at least 10 minutes.

5. Mix all the fried ingredients, yam and rice with the seasoning sauces.

6. Put all the ingredients into a large pot (non-stick preferable) or rice cooker. Add mushroom water. If it does not cover the ingredients, add some warm water.

7. Bring the rice to a boil. When cooked, sprinkle fried shallots and garlic (step 1) before serving.

8. You may garnish with coriander and spring onions.

9. This dish is usually eaten with braised soy sauce duck and homemade chilli sauce.

- Permission granted by sources for reprint of recipe

- Photos : copyright reserved

Poon Choi or pen cai - Basin Vegetable dish for Chinese New Year

Poon Choi, also known as pen cai or Big Bowl Feast, is a traditional type of Chinese dish with layers of different cooked ingredients.

It was said that pen cai was invented during the late Song Dynasty. When Mongol troops invaded Song China, the young Emperor fled to the area around Guangdong. To serve the Emperor as well as his army, the locals collected all their best food available, cooked it, and put it in wooden washing basins.

Despite it's humble beginnings, pen cai has been given an exotic makeover with many five star restaurants serving it as an exotic and expensive dish during Chinese New Year with chicken, oysters, abalone, prawns, mushrooms and vegetables.

www.fehd.gov.hk/.../poon_choi.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poon_choi

http://forums.chef2chef.net/viewtopic.php?t=502909

Salt Baked Chicken 盐鸡

Salt Baked Chicken

Yum Gai is arguably a trademark of Hakka cuisine. The traditional recipe can be attributable to my late maternal grandma and a Malaysian chef whom I have picked up a few cooking tips.


Traditional recipe :
If possible, use free range chicken, not too big, to ensure thorough cooking.
Marinate chicken with a little fine salt, pepper, thinly sliced ginger, Hua diao wine and sesame oil. If you like herbal taste, add some sweet dang gui, wolfberries (go ji zi) and a stalk of spring onion into the cavity of the bird. Wrap the chicken in a generous amount of greaseproof paper to ensure it's properly sealed.

Line 3 kg of coarse salt on a good conducting heat proof tray. Put in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove tray from oven and scoop up some salt. Put the wrapped chicken onto the tray and cover evenly with heated salt. Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes. In the old days, granny would light an incense stick and wait till it's burnt out to gauge when the chicken is done.

Dipping sauces :

1. ginger and garlic in oil
2. sesame and soy sauce
3. celery, coriander, ginger, salt in garlic oil (use chicken fat if possible)
4. Oyster sauce

Simplified version of salt baked chicken

For the time scarce modern cooks, making salt baked chicken is a breeze without compromising very much on the taste. Prepare brine solution with 1 cup of coarse salt, 2 TBS of sugar and 12 cups of water (depending on the size of the chicken).

Marinate the chicken with wine, pepper and fine sea salt for at least 30 minutes.

When brine solution is brought to a boil, lower the chicken into the pot, holding it steadily, lifting it up and down. Keep repeating the procedure till the chicken is cooked al dante.

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Red rice wine lees dishes - seafood or meat

The residue from making glutinous rice wine, known as 红糟 in Mandarin (hong2 zao1), can be used as flavouring for stir fries of meat and seafood dishes. My favourites are chicken or prawn.

Red yeast rice sauce manufactured by W.J.F. (wei4 rong2) in Taiwan is really good. The red wine residue is said to be made from all natural ingredients, ground into a fine paste and seasoned. It is very tasty by itself. There is no need to add salt or other seasoning sauces to fry the meat.

Fermented glutinous rice also comes in natural white colour if red sorghum is not added. You can purchase this in bottles or small takeaway tubs from the chiller section of Asian grocery stores. Unlike the ready to use red yeast sauce above, a little soy sauce should be added when the meat is almost cooked. Always sear the meat in garlic oil before simmering it so as to bring out the full flavours.

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Fried Radish Meat Balls 萝卜丸

- Wash radish, peel the skin and shred thinly. Set aside.
- Wash dried shrimp, chop finely, pan fry or bake with a little oil till fragrant. Cool.
- Dice soaked mushroom or black fungus roughly.
- Put radish, minced pork, shrimp, mushroom, tapioca flour, seasoning, egg, in a mixing bowl.
- Stir the mixture till sticky.
- Using a round spoon, scoop some mixture and shape into balls.
- Either steam over boiling water for 15 minutes over medium heat or pan fry with cooking oil till golden brown.

- Copyright reserved : original recipe and photos

Auntie's special bitter gourd

It is believed that the ability to savour bittergourd builds up one's tenacity to overcome difficulties. Perhaps that's one reason why the legendary hardy Hakkas has made this dish their staple diet.

I had the privilege of observing my 84 year old aunt prepare her famous bittergourd dish when she was in town last year. The secret to getting rid of the tart and bitter taste of bittergourd is to marinate deseeded and sliced vegetable in a little salt for 10 minutes and then rinse it off.

Pan fry the sliced bittergourd without any oil and add a little sugar while stirring the vegetable. When partially cooked, push the bittergourd to the side of the pan. Fry garlic in oil till fragrant.

Prepare a separate stew pot. Pork ribs should either be seared or run through hot water to remove any unpleasant taste before putting into the stew pot. Add fried bitergourd and prawn that has been marinated in pepper and a little sugar before adding to the stew about 10 minutes before turning off the heat.

Taro Yam Braised Belly Pork 芋头扣肉

Meicai kuorou (preserved mustard green in braised soy sauce pork) is a signature Hakka dish.

In Guangdong province where yam is in abundance, yutou (taro or yam) kuoro (braised pork) arranged in an alternate fashion is more popular.

Belly pork has to be deep fried, refreshed with water and braised till it acquires a succulent melt in the mouth texture. Similarly, the yam slices should be pan fried or baked in the oven till it is almost cooked before arranging them in a large bowl alternating between pork and yam. Add seasoning sauces - basic are soy sauce, five spice powder, furu (fermented red bean curd) and a dash of shaoxing wine (optional). Steam over boiling water in an airtight pot for at least 90 minutes. When ready to serve, invert the bowl over a slightly larger dish.

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More detailed and updated recipe : http://hakkafood.blogspot.com/2009/10/taro-yam-braised-meat-yu-kou-rou.html