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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
I just received my first preview copy of The Hakka Cookbook. After so many ups and downs, I’m so excited to have the book in my hands. It looks great!
Although my brother’s art isn’t full color inside, a rusty orange color wash gives the drawings a warm glow. The book will be available in October although you can pre-order.
Opening reception at the Toronto Hakka Conference
Just back from the Toronto Hakka Conference 2012. This past weekend I spent time with Hakka Chinese from all over the world learning about our shared culture and history.
The keynote speaker Professor Shiu Loon Kong said that Hakka is a spirit, not a people. It dominates and facilitates people’s thinking and behavior. Hakka people were open-minded, proud, and strong. They emigrated all over the world. You could see that in the attendees who had migrated from India, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Trinidad, Surinam, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
In sessions we learned about the Hakka life in these countries. Speakers introduced how to trace our family tree and make lei cha (pounded tea). I showed a slideshow of Hakka food from around the world. We heard traditional mountain songs as well as Hakka pop music.
Thanks especially to chairs Carol Wong and Professor Keith Lowe for organizing such a thoughtful and educational conference. It was truly a special experience for the “guest people” who built China.
Map of Hakka provinces in China as seen at Toronto Conference 2008
If you want to learn more about the Hakka culture and what it means to be Hakka, register for the Toronto Hakka Conference. This conference takes place once every four years. I went to the 2008 conference and met more Hakkas than I had ever seen before. I had grown up in a small town where we were the only Chinese. I always felt we were different. At the conference, Hakka people surrounded me who shared the same history. Here I had found my family, people like me. I was no longer an outsider.
From June 29 to July 1, 2012 at York University there will be sessions on Hakka from all parts of the world, history, genealogy, architecture, and food. I will be speaking in a session on Hakka Cuisine, Ancient and Modern with Prof. Shiu Loon Kong. Register soon.