19:11MICHELIN Guide
Beyond the Chips: The True Flavors of Hsinchu
Explore the rich Hakka heritage and traditional rice-crafting techniques of Hsinchu, Taiwan, through a professional chef's lens.
Cuisine
Hakka
Hakka cooking: preserved vegetables, salt-baked poultry, stuffed tofu and deep braises. Frugal technique that delivers serious savoury depth.
Hakka cooking: preserved vegetables, salt-baked poultry, stuffed tofu and deep braises. Frugal technique that delivers serious savoury depth.
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Questions from the pass
Hakka: frequently asked
What is Hakka cuisine and its key characteristics?
Hakka cuisine originates from the Hakka people, a migratory Han Chinese group. Because of their history of migration, the cooking relies heavily on preservation techniques, slow braising, and cheap cuts. Key characteristics include salt-curing, sun-drying, and fermentation. Dishes like Hakka salt-baked chicken and braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens (Mei Cai Kou Rou) define this style.
How do you make traditional Hakka salt-baked chicken?
Traditional Hakka salt-baked chicken involves rubbing a whole bird with sand ginger powder and salt, wrapping it in greaseproof paper, and burying it in hot rock salt heated in a wok to around 200°C. Cooked for 40 to 50 minutes, the salt retains moisture while cooking the bird evenly, producing intensely savoury, juicy meat and golden skin.
What is Hakka stuffed tofu (Yong Tau Foo)?
Yong Tau Foo is a signature Hakka dish where firm tofu cubes are hollowed out and stuffed with a seasoned paste of minced pork and salted fish, or fish paste. The stuffed tofu is pan-fried skin-side down in a hot wok for 3-4 minutes until golden, then simmered in a light soy and dashi-style stock until cooked through.
Why is preserved mustard green (Mei Cai) so important in Hakka cooking?
Mei Cai (salted, sun-dried mustard greens) provides the essential umami back-note to Hakka braises. Before cooking, it must be soaked for 30 minutes to remove excess salt, then rinsed thoroughly. It is typically braised for two hours with fatty pork belly, absorbing the fat and imparting a deep, savoury, slightly sweet contrast that cuts through the rich meat.
What is Hakka Abacus Beads (Suan Pan Zi)?
Abacus Beads are savoury taro gnocchi. To make them, mix steamed taro with tapioca flour at a 2:1 ratio by weight to form a dough, shape into dimpled discs, and boil until they float. Stir-fry them with minced pork, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear fungus, seasoned with fish sauce and white pepper for a chewy, savoury finish.