Next Stop: China (Part 3: Hakka Cuisine)

The Hakka are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly in the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Fujian in southern China. There are also large Hakka communities in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Their ancestors are said to have originated in the Henan and Shanxi provinces of northern China over 1,700 years ago. The Hakka have had a significant influence on the course of Chinese and Overseas Chinese history: in particular, they have been a source of revolutionary and political leaders.

For more detail about the Hakka, their history and culture go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakka

The Hakka people have a unique cuisine and style of Chinese cooking which is little known outside the Hakka home. Hakka cuisine concentrates on the texture of food - the hallmark of Hakka cuisine. The food tastes very natural as there is very little seasoning and no artificial flavoring added to it. Hakka cuisine from mainland China is spicy but Taiwan's Hakka cuisine is salty, sweet and sour. Conversely, the Hakka who settled Hong Kong place great emphasis on seafood cuisine. Hakka cuisine in Hong Kong is dominated by an abundance of vegetables, and is garnished lightly with sparse or little flavouring.

The Hakka people were traditionally poor and often transient. Their humble, migratory lifestyle is reflected in their cuisine. Due to their thrifty nature, most meats are preserved. After preservation, be it sun-dried or salted, it can be kept for about one year. The preservation methods prevent spoilage. Whereas preserved meats feature in Hakka delicacy, stewed, braised, roast meats, ‘texturized’ contributions to the Hakka palate have a central place in their repertoire.

One popular Hakka dish is Xiao Feng, which consists of three-layered pork. The pork is cut into many small pieces for the dish and is then cooked with preserved bamboo shoots, which again developed out of thriftiness. The Xiao Feng then needs only Hakka seasoning—onion, garlic, soya sauce and wine—and it will be fragrant and tasty.

One of the signature dishes of the Hakka is stir fry, which can be kept and eaten for quite a number of days. The more it is fried the more delicious it becomes. The Hakka also use cuttlefish, and some people add dried tofu or various other ingredients.

Information from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakka#Cuisine
http://en.epochtimes.com/news/6-9-24/46304.html