Tracing the roots of my heritage
Ever since my dear sister came to visit, she has been imparting her knowledge about our ancestors' culinary history. She helped me to understand that in order to restore balance to my body and health, I need to stick to the kind of food that our ancesters ate since the beginning of time. For this, I am eternally grateful because I can impart this knowledge to my daughter who is after all half Chinese.
I tried to search Amazon to see if there are any Hakka cook books for sale. Unfortunately only one is in print but it also includes other Southeast Asia recipes. Several other titles are out of print so it is almost impossible to get them.
According to the Council for Hakka Affairs Executive Yuan, Republic of China (Taiwan) (http://www.hakka.gov.tw/content.asp?CuItem=7163&mp=219), here are some information about the culinary history.
二、客家菜形成原因
(2. History of Hakka Cuisine)
（一）自然地理條件決定當地物產，因山區稻米產量有限，故以雜糧為主，如：蕃薯、芋頭、蕨根、山藥、大薯為主。又以紅薯 、南瓜、芋頭、大豆做成點心及「粄」或「糕」等，大豆作成豆腐等加工品。
1. Main agriculture: sweet potato, Chinese golden pumpkin, taro, soy bean, tofu etc.
（二）當地生產生活條件較差，也是影響客家飲食之另一要素。因每天工作需爬山挑擔，消耗體力，且交通不便，糧食蔬菜依靠自給，擅作曬、乾、醃、臘、醬等類製品，以辣鹹酸菜、高麗菜乾、蘿蔔乾為主。
2. Due to poor soil condition, most veggies are dried, salted, waxed and made into sauces to be stored for future consumption.
（三）在烹調方法上食物多用蒸、煮及用油、炸、烤及油爆多，他們認為多吃油膩，才能補充大量勞動所需熱量，也是物質缺乏時代，較粗糙食物的最佳潤滑劑，又因刀工粗獷、菜色樸實無華為其特色。3. Primary cooking methods include steaming, stir-fry, deep fried and roasting due to the need to replenish energy for labor work.
（四）在口味方面，福建客家菜注重鮮香，並講究原味，但各地的口味略有不同，在台灣客家則較重鹹，因勞動多出汗，需補充鹽份，且鹹易於下飯，足以溫飽。
4. With regards to flavoring, Hakka cuisine focuses on freshness and original tastes.
（五）對醃、曬、醬的菜最擅長製作，如梅乾菜扣肉、酸菜肚片湯、冬瓜封、苦瓜封、高麗菜封、客家小炒、薑絲炒大腸、菜乾燉排骨、四季豆乾肉絲湯。
5. Veggies include dried winter gourd, bitter gourd, napa cabbage, ginger, string beans etc.
三、客家飲食文化的基本特徵
(3. Basic Characteristics of Hakka Culinary )
（四）注重和合的烹調原則
飲食講求原味，重食物間搭配，對食性瞭解深入透徹，凡溫、涼、熱、寒都予相輔相成搭配，如上杭人以鴨子燉蓮子，均屬涼性，夏至補狗肉，冬至補羊肉，夏暑做仙草凍，吃擂茶，產婦吃糖薑雞，飲糖薑酒。
(English Translation)
(4) Focus on harmony in culinary
The aim of eating and drinking is on the original taste. Focus heavily on pairing warm and cool, heat and cold food combinations. E.g. duck simmered with lotus seed is considered cool food combination while lamb meat should be consumed towards the end of winter.
（五）豐儉並存的飲食習慣
強調平時儉約，而至年節則較豐盛，又平民與富人之間飲食亦有階級性。平時三餐早晚吃粥，中午吃乾飯，蕃薯、芋頭是主要雜糧，家常菜多吃刈菜乾、鹹菜乾、蘿蔔乾、時令青菜、豆腐、豆豉等。重視過年春節，臘月開始辦年貨，下旬蒸年糕、打禬 粑、磨豆腐、殺雞、宰鴨做臘味等，幾乎每個地區都熱鬧非凡。
(5)
Emphasis on regularly consume plain food e.g. veggies and brans while consume rich food e.g. meat and savory during festive celebrations. Eat rice porriage for breakfast, lunch and dinner. During lunch eat sweet potato, taro etc as main grains. Common veggies include salted veggie, dried carrot, tofu, fermented black beans etc.
I tried to search Amazon to see if there are any Hakka cook books for sale. Unfortunately only one is in print but it also includes other Southeast Asia recipes. Several other titles are out of print so it is almost impossible to get them.
According to the Council for Hakka Affairs Executive Yuan, Republic of China (Taiwan) (http://www.hakka.gov.tw/content.asp?CuItem=7163&mp=219), here are some information about the culinary history.
二、客家菜形成原因
(2. History of Hakka Cuisine)
（一）自然地理條件決定當地物產，因山區稻米產量有限，故以雜糧為主，如：蕃薯、芋頭、蕨根、山藥、大薯為主。又以紅薯 、南瓜、芋頭、大豆做成點心及「粄」或「糕」等，大豆作成豆腐等加工品。
1. Main agriculture: sweet potato, Chinese golden pumpkin, taro, soy bean, tofu etc.
（二）當地生產生活條件較差，也是影響客家飲食之另一要素。因每天工作需爬山挑擔，消耗體力，且交通不便，糧食蔬菜依靠自給，擅作曬、乾、醃、臘、醬等類製品，以辣鹹酸菜、高麗菜乾、蘿蔔乾為主。
2. Due to poor soil condition, most veggies are dried, salted, waxed and made into sauces to be stored for future consumption.
（三）在烹調方法上食物多用蒸、煮及用油、炸、烤及油爆多，他們認為多吃油膩，才能補充大量勞動所需熱量，也是物質缺乏時代，較粗糙食物的最佳潤滑劑，又因刀工粗獷、菜色樸實無華為其特色。3. Primary cooking methods include steaming, stir-fry, deep fried and roasting due to the need to replenish energy for labor work.
（四）在口味方面，福建客家菜注重鮮香，並講究原味，但各地的口味略有不同，在台灣客家則較重鹹，因勞動多出汗，需補充鹽份，且鹹易於下飯，足以溫飽。
4. With regards to flavoring, Hakka cuisine focuses on freshness and original tastes.
（五）對醃、曬、醬的菜最擅長製作，如梅乾菜扣肉、酸菜肚片湯、冬瓜封、苦瓜封、高麗菜封、客家小炒、薑絲炒大腸、菜乾燉排骨、四季豆乾肉絲湯。
5. Veggies include dried winter gourd, bitter gourd, napa cabbage, ginger, string beans etc.
三、客家飲食文化的基本特徵
(3. Basic Characteristics of Hakka Culinary )
（四）注重和合的烹調原則
飲食講求原味，重食物間搭配，對食性瞭解深入透徹，凡溫、涼、熱、寒都予相輔相成搭配，如上杭人以鴨子燉蓮子，均屬涼性，夏至補狗肉，冬至補羊肉，夏暑做仙草凍，吃擂茶，產婦吃糖薑雞，飲糖薑酒。
(English Translation)
(4) Focus on harmony in culinary
The aim of eating and drinking is on the original taste. Focus heavily on pairing warm and cool, heat and cold food combinations. E.g. duck simmered with lotus seed is considered cool food combination while lamb meat should be consumed towards the end of winter.
（五）豐儉並存的飲食習慣
強調平時儉約，而至年節則較豐盛，又平民與富人之間飲食亦有階級性。平時三餐早晚吃粥，中午吃乾飯，蕃薯、芋頭是主要雜糧，家常菜多吃刈菜乾、鹹菜乾、蘿蔔乾、時令青菜、豆腐、豆豉等。重視過年春節，臘月開始辦年貨，下旬蒸年糕、打禬 粑、磨豆腐、殺雞、宰鴨做臘味等，幾乎每個地區都熱鬧非凡。
(5)
Emphasis on regularly consume plain food e.g. veggies and brans while consume rich food e.g. meat and savory during festive celebrations. Eat rice porriage for breakfast, lunch and dinner. During lunch eat sweet potato, taro etc as main grains. Common veggies include salted veggie, dried carrot, tofu, fermented black beans etc.
posted by Jiru at
10:13 PM
