DISHING IT UP WITH THE 客HAKKA家 CUISINE

So you think all Chinese dishes are the same cuisine? Think again.

Chinese dishes usually belongs to a various of dialect groups that some of them, you probably don't even know. As a Chinese, it's hard to identify all of the food into a different dialect groups. You feel me? 😢

But in this blog, I will be introducing you the 4 popular traditional Hakka dishes that can be found in regions such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and so much more!

Why Hakka? Well it is because Hakka is getting much more underrated and ‘unappreciated’ in Malaysia. 

So, why don’t we dive it in and see what I’ve prepared for you.

1.   ABACUS SEEDS 算盘子 aka taro ball

Abacus seeds ( Suàn pán zî ) is a very popular traditional dish among all in Hakka cuisine. But why the name ABACUS? It is because it shaped like a bead on the abacus. 

It produces a soft and chewy texture in your mouth as it is made out of yam and tapioca flour. This abacus seeds tastes much like taro balls that you have on your dessert, except this is served as a savory dish.

2.   BRAISED PORK BELLY W/ PRESERVED MUSTARD VEGE 梅菜扣肉

Want to know a secret?

The key ingredient of this whole dish is not the spices or the soy sauce but the meat itself. As you can see from the picture, you could notice the three layers of the pork belly. Choosing the meat of this dish is important as you don’t want your meat to be too fatty or too skinny.

The unami flavor of the meat were infused from the marinated soy sauce and the juices of the preserved mustard vegies. YUM. It tastes heavenly as the three layers of the pork belly is so tender and yet it melts in your mouth at the same time as you bite in. If you’re not a fan of pork belly, then you are probably missing out. Of course, don’t forget the sweet and savoury Mei Cai! which is the preserved mustard vege.

3.   GOLDEN TOFU W/ DEEP FRIED DREID SHIRMPS 黄金炸豆腐

Looking at the color of the tofu makes my mouth watery, slurps.

The combination of this golden-brown tofu and the deep-fried dried shrimp goes perfectly well together, the crunchiness of the dried shrimp and the crispy tofu literally compliments each other. Although the name itself may sound common, but trust me, you’re gonna want it more after your first bite.

4.   LÓNG XŪ CÀI 龙须菜

Lông xū cài is also another common and popular dish in Hakka cuisine. Long is simply translated as dragon. If you look closely, it actually looks like a dragon’s claw, that’s why it is called Lông for a reason. This dish is often topped with meat slices or mushrooms and garlic.

Last but not least, you can enjoy these all 4 dishes with a bowl of rice and there goes a warm and hearty meal for you.

So, these are the 4 common traditional Hakka dishes for you, it looks appetising doesn’t it? Well it definitely is for me!

Are you curious about other Chinese cuisines food? Make sure you check out our next blog to see what’s coming next! Thank you for reading. Stay tuned.

Check this video out to watch me eat these delishhhh Hakka food. Lucky me. 😉