Author Archives: lla

About lla

Linda Lau Anusasananan is the author of The Hakka Cookbook: Chinese Soul Food Around the World. After more than three decades writing about food for Sunset Magazine, she traced the history and food trail of her own people, the Hakka, Chinese nomadic pioneers who settled throughout the world. Her cookbook shares her journey with stories and recipes from Hakka from California to Peru.

Recent kudos for The Hakka Cookbook

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large version of cover of The Hakka CookbookThe Hakka Cookbook is one month old.  Since the book has been released, several reviews have appeared in the past month. Here’s a brief summary. For the whole line-up of press coverage, check the media page.

Caitlin Donohue of the San Francisco Bay Guardian interviews me for their food and wine issue Feast  (10/23/12), then follows up with Hakka at Home (10/25/12).  “I’ve read few cookbooks as interesting as The Hakka Cookbook…”

In Zester Daily, an online newsletter on the culture of food and drink, Carolyn Phillips wrote a thoughtful review on The Hakka Cookbook on October18.  Phillips, a master of Chinese cooking herself,  learned many Hakka dishes from her Hakka father-in-law while living in Taiwan. Phillips writes,  “All of the Hakka classics are here for the first time in an English cookbook, as well as local specialties from the diaspora that flung Hakka descendants to the far corners of the world. It’s a rich tapestry of stories, savory flavors and rich broths.”

The Hakka Cookbook made  Sunday’s food section (10/14/12) in the San Francisco Chronicle. On page G2 under “What’s New”, Amanda Gold describes the book. She summarizes “What emerges is a comprehensive, yet accessible, look at a rarely explored group and the food that defines them.”  If you missed it, check out this online version.

On October 4, my friend Carolyn Jung, creator of Food Gal, a delicious online food blog wrote a lovely review of my book. “For Chinese-Americans like myself, we’re all the better for its publication, too, because it includes so many recipes for dishes that we grew up with and still crave to this day.”

The Hakka Cookbook at Omnivore Books

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Linda Lau Anusasananan with her book, The Hakka Cookbook, Chinese Soul Food from around the World

Stop by and meet me tomorrow night 10/24, Wednesday, 6 pm at Omnivore Books on Food at 3885A Cesar Chavez (at Church St) in San Francisco. It’s a great store dedicated to cookbooks.

Had a great turnout this past Sunday at Eastwind Books of Berkeley. Standing room only. Met a couple of young Hakka girls interested in learning more about their culture.

A party for The Hakka Cookbook

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Susan Yan, Linda L. Anusasananan, and Martin Yan

A few days ago, my good friend Jerry DiVecchio hosted a book party for me. I worked with Jerry for more than three decades at Sunset Magazine. She taught me how to write and develop recipes, a skill that came in handy when writing a cookbook.

We invited a lot of old friends, many in the media, some from Sunset Magazine, and some fellow Les Dames members. Joyce Jue who wrote some generous words for the book jacket came. Martin Yan, who wrote the foreward for the book, and his wife Susan arrived during the latter half of the party. With his busy travel schedule and the opening of his new restaurant, M.Y. China, I’m lucky he could attend.

Jerry suggested I cook several recipes from the cookbook for the party. What do you serve to celebrity chef Martin Yan?  I struggled with the menu, because it had to meet so many criteria. The menu needed to be no maintenance, meaning I didn’t have the time to fuss with the food during the party. I had to make the food completely ahead and transport it. The food had to hold up for a few hours. Preferably there would be little last minute cooking. We scheduled the party during dinner hours, so it needed some substance. We expected about forty people. This is what I came up with. Follow along with your cookbooks.

Hakka Walk-Around Party for 30 to 40

Pickled Mustard Greens and Pickled Cucumbers (p. 147, double recipes)

Pickled Carrots and Radishes (p. 60, double recipe)

Garlic-Chile Eggplant Sticks (p. 56, double recipe)

Chef Soon’s Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens (p. 45, optional)

Steeped Chicken Breast (p. 22, cooked 3 lb. chicken) with Fresh Ginger-Onion Sauce (p. 66, triple recipe) in Lettuce Leaves or on a bed of shredded Chinese Cabbage

Hakka Pork Sliders (adapted from Steamed Black Bean Pork p. 165, slider recipe follows)

Sesame Cookies (purchased) and Orange Wedges

The Game Plan:

Pickled cucumbers, radishes and carrots, and mustard greens

The pickles could be made several days ahead. The eggplant could be also made a day ahead; allow to warm to room temperature for serving. Shortly before serving, sprinkle with cilantro. I had some pickled red chiles and sprinkled them over the top for a pop of color; you could also use chopped red bell pepper.

The pork belly is not essential, but I had food professionals as guests, so I aimed to impress. It takes time to make so I spread the work over several days. I steamed it completely the day before the party, then reheated it in the steamer until hot in center, 30 to 45 minutes, at the party site. If you were doing the party at home, you can also just assemble the dish ahead, then steam a couple of hours before serving. This dish needs to be served hot so set it on a warming tray. Serve with sliced small buns or rolls for sandwiches, if desired.

I cooked and shredded the chicken and made the ginger-onion sauce a day ahead. The morning of the party, wash and crisp the lettuce leaves as directed on p. 201. Mix the chicken with the zesty ginger sauce. However, for the next party, I skipped the lettuce cups and placed the chicken on a bed of shredded Chinese cabbage or lettuce.

The sliders were adapted from Steamed Pork with Black Beans (p. 165). Since I needed to keep it hot for a few hours, I thought a crock pot would be the perfect solution. I doubled the recipe and cooked it in the slow cooker for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. It worked beautifully. You can cook it up to 3 days ahead, cool, remove fat, transfer to smaller containers, cover and chill. Reheat the meat in the slow cooker, covered over high heat until hot and bubbly, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Then reduce heat to warm setting. Serve with split baked rolls and people can assemble their sliders throughout the party.

Hakka Pork Sliders

Follow recipe for Steamed Black Bean Pork (p. 165) except double the ingredients, Cut the pork into about 3-inch chunks and brown meat, in batches, if needed. Transfer the meat to a 6-quart slow-cooker. Add the black bean mixture to pan and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Pour black bean mixture over pork. Cover the slow-cooker and cook at high heat until very tender when pierced, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Skim off and discard fat. With forks, break pork into coarse shreds or chunks. Serve in small baked rolls. Makes 5 to 6 dozen small sandwiches.

 

 

The Debut of The Hakka Cookbook

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My friend Rebekah and I at the Tsung Tsin dinner in Honolulu.

It’s been a busy weekend for The Hakka Cookbook. Saturday I introduced The Hakka Cookbook to the world at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.  Met some interesting Hakka from Mauritius and Taiwan in the the audience.

The next day, I presented the book at the Tsung Tsin dinner in Honolulu. It’s interesting that since this book came out, I’m meeting Hakkas everywhere.

 

 

 

Book launch this Saturday

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Broad-stemmed mustard greens for pickles

The Hakka Cookbook launches officially this Saturday 9/29 at the Asian Art Museum at 1 pm. Come and hear about how I was inspired to write this book, see a few food slides, and a short demo on how to make pickled mustard greens.  I would love to meet you!

The Hakka Cookbook is here

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The Hakka Cookbook arrived from China last week.  Whew!  I was beginning to worry that the ship might arrive late, and I would have no books for my scheduled events. Books should be making their way into the stores. Heard that Powell’s in Portland had a noticeable display.

I have been busy. My first radio interview comes in a few days with On the Menu, a food and travel show broadcast globally.  Planning the debut presentation of my book at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco on September 29. Heard that there could be as many as 150 people. A bit scarey. Need to polish my public speaking skills.

I was invited to a dinner sponsored by Tsung Tsin Association in Honolulu and decided to go. Will meet some of the Hakka folks featured in my book. Planning local book signing parties. Scheduling events for a November book tour to the Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver, BC.  For details on my upcoming events, check Events Calendar. Hope to meet you at one soon.

Proud to be Hakka

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Popo by Alan Lau

The idea for this book was planted when I was just a child. My grandmother (we called her Popo) kept telling us, “You should be proud to be Hakka.” My brother and I resisted, refusing to speak Hakka even though we could understand most of what was being said. We were the odd balls in an all white conservative community in northern California. In fact, we were the first and only Chinese in town. In spite of our protests, Popo taught us Chinese lessons after our American classes. We learned to write Chinese calligraphy and read from picture books, but it didn’t stick.

It wasn’t until we grew up and left home did we realize what we missed. I greatly regret not being able to speak Hakka, even though I know few people who do.  My career as a food writer and my family absorbed most of my time.  It wasn’t until I left Sunset Magazine and had more time to pursue other interests that Popo’s words echoed in my ear. What did she mean? Why should I be proud to be Hakka? Now I had the time to find out.

I had more than three decades experience writing about food and developing recipes. I would explore my culture through what I knew best, food. In the digital age, I could search the web and find basic information on the Hakka. I was surprised how easy it was. Occasionally, before computers and google I would try to find information about the Hakka and found very little. I knew the Hakka were wanderers or nomads but never realized how scattered they were. They were pockets literally all over the world. Since I grew up knowing very few Chinese, let alone Hakka, I had assumed the Hakka were a small minority. Yet once I started my research I saw world population figures ranging from thirty to one hundred twenty million. A recent figure estimates 75 million Hakka live throughout the world. Also Hakka are not a minority, but Han, part of the Chinese majority.

I found reference books that enlightened me about who the Hakka were. The Hakka share a unique history and identity. The ancestors of the Hakka were displaced from their northern home around the fourth century and led a life as homeless migrants for centuries. Between the tenth to the fourteenth century, they lived in an isolated mountainous area in Fujian province where they solidified their language, culture, and identity. As they moved south they were treated as unwelcome lowly newcomers left with poor pieces of land. This forced the Hakka to grow strong in their ability to survive in any situation through hard work, adaptation, frugality, and tenacity. They gained a reputation as being pioneers, able to establish settlements where no one else could such as in Sarawak and Sabah in the Federation of Malaysian. Even in James Michener’s  historical novel Hawaii, Dr. Whipple specifically requests Hakka laborers for his sugar plantations. When asked why, he replies “…Hakka can work…” Eventually these hardy pioneers settled throughout the world.

Hakkas are no longer just peasants. Many great political leaders were Hakka—China’s political reformer Deng Xiaoping, father of modern China Sun Yat-sen, Taiwan’s first elected president Lee Teng-hui, and Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Author Han Suyin ( Many-Splendoured Thing) and artist Lin Fengmian claim Hakka heritage. Famed couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo is a Hakka born in Malaysia. Actor and action film star Chow Yun-Fat who starred in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a Hakka from Hong Kong. Successful Hakka restauranteur Alan Yau who created the original Michelin-starred Hakkasan in Britain was also born in Hong Kong.

Global view of Hakka Cuisine

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Chinese characters for Hakka Cuisine. Calligraphy by Chitfu Yu

At the Toronto Hakka Conference I was asked to give a presentation on Modern Hakka Cuisine. I’ve collected many photos from my travels and decided to show what I saw and tasted around the world. Everywhere I traveled, I asked people what is Hakka food.  I received answers such as honest, earthy comfort food of the working man. Other descriptions included strong robust flavors, fatty, salty, lots of pork and soy sauce, preserved vegetables, cured meats, rice wine and its residue. Food is hearty, direct, and satisfying.

As I traveled,  I realized that the Hakka cuisine was far more diverse than its common perception. True, many of the descriptions applied to the roots of this cuisine, but through migration, creative chefs, changing life styles, and regional influences, the definition of the cuisine had greatly expanded. Hakka food had dark soulful dishes such as kiu ngiuk moi choi (pork belly steamed with preserved mustard greens) but it also had dishes that emphasized the natural essence of the ingredients with uncomplicated fresh presentations. The cuisine is much like its people. It has traveled the world and adapted to new environments, local ingredients, and prevailing tastes to become a varied cuisine. Yet it still maintains its roots.

In the area around Meizhou, the Hakka heartland, the food was the most traditional with many classics such as salt-baked chicken, stuffed tofu, fried eggs with preserved vegetables. As it left its mountainous homeland, the cuisine seemed to blossom with new ingredients, more seafood, fresher options.

Red Chiles by Alan Lau

In some regions such as in Sichuan province, chiles made a bold statement.  Inventive chefs created new specialties and adapted to local ingredients. Others lightened dishes to appeal to a changing lifestyle and the younger generation. Back home, the food seemed to take on a California freshness.

Yet I’m surprised even in its migration, the heart of Hakka food still retains its soulful roots and many traditional dishes tastes remain relatively unchanged. This traveling kitchen is a work in progress, growing as it travels.

In the news

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The Hakka Cookbook makes the news. First article about my upcoming cookbook came out yesterday.  Jennifer Bain of the Toronto Star wrote an excellent story about a dinner with some of my Hakka friends and recipe contributors at the Royal Chinese Seafood Restaurant. The chef prepared mostly Chinese-Hakka dishes (some are not on the menu and need to be special ordered). We also sampled a few of his spicy Indian-Hakka recipes.

A photographer also spent a few hours with us taking photos. Just one picture made it into the story, so I thought I would share another one that I took with my iPod camera. Chef Kuo Shan Liu prepared Hakka Garlic Chicken which is steamed salted chicken with his special garlic sauce. We also ate Fish Meatball Soup with Radish, Hakka Braised Pork, Steamed Pork with Taro, Fish with Preserved Lemon, Beef and Preserved Vegetables in Rice Wine Sauce, Crispy Shrimp Balls, and Fried Stuffed Tofu, Hakka-Style. Dishes with a more Indian flavor included Tandoori Masala Chicken and Chili Chicken.