Chinese New Year Feast

Posted on February 2, 2026 by lla

Happy Chinese New Year! Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a Chinese New Year Feast. Greet everyone with “Happy New Year” (Xīnnián kuàilè in Mandarin 新年快乐) or “Wishing you happiness and prosperity!” (Khiung Hee Fat Choy in Hakka or Gong Hay Fat Choy in Cantonese 恭禧發財).

In 2026, February 17 marks the start of the Year of the Horse. On the Chinese horoscope, each year is dominated by an animal sign: Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey rooster, dog, and pig. Each animal has special characteristics. If you were born in the year of 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, and 1942, you are are a horse.

Some horoscopes describe people born in the year of the horse to be confident, intelligent, responsible, and stubborn. They like to be physically active and mentally challenged. Some forecasts for the horse show this may be a powerful year for growth and transformation. Balance your fire with calmness to make the most of this energy.

A family reunion feast starts the Chinese New Year celebration. Our family meal tends to be a cooperative effort with everyone sharing a dish. I’m scanning The Hakka Cookbook looking for recipes for our feast.

The table is traditionally filled with foods that send auspicious messages to attract wealth, luck, success, unity, longevity. Many foods eaten during the celebration have symbolic meanings. They may resemble or their words sounds like something that is auspicious.

Hakka-Indian Egg Rolls hold curry-spiced filling. — Spicy Egg Rolls resemble gold bars.

Hakka in Thailand inspired Hakka Chef Li to create this mildly spice dish with fresh herbs — Spicy Egg Rolls resemble gold bars.

Egg or spring rolls look like gold bars. Consider the Spicy Egg Rolls (page 184) or the Hakka Egg Roll page 170).

Open clams represent new opportunities. Perhaps I might cook Chile-spiced Clams with Basil and Cilantro (page 231).

Green vegetables suggest growth in business. Some options include Chinese Broccoli in Sweet Rice Wine (page 230), Stir-fried Chinese Lettuce and Wine Rice (page 50), Stir-fried Iceberg Lettuce and Garlic (page 27), Stir-Fried Snow Peas and Tofu (page 48), or Stir-fried Spinach and Peanuts (page 56).

Noodles symbolize long life. Choose from Garlic Noodles and Shrimp (page 193), Noodles with Mushroom Pork Sauce (page 104), Soy-glazed Pork and Mushroom Noodles (page 208), or Sweet Soy Chow Mein (page 178).

Round shaped foods represent unity. A Pork and Shrimp Ball Soup (page 213), Spinach and Fish Ball Soup (page 225), or Ginger Soup with Sweet Rice Balls (page 116) can bring the family together.

Symbols of Chinese New Year: red envelopes, tangerines, good luck banners

What will you eat for your Chinese New Year Feast? As long as you share food with family or friends, you start the year with good will and hope. Happy Year of the Horse! May it be full of joy, good health, prosperity, and peace!

Chinese comfort food, easy, effortless, and satisfying

Posted on November 20, 2025 by lla

Braised Chicken Wings in Bean Sauce from The Hakka Cookbook

Chinese comfort food, easy, effortless, and satisfying, make up the bulk of Hakka cuisine. In this recipe, braise chicken wings with just a few ingredients to produce a comforting dish that will please hungry diners. The secret ingredient is Chinese bean sauce. The dark salty bean sauce imbues the soft, silky chicken flesh and resulting sauce with intense savoriness. A generous measure of freshly ground pepper adds a slight spicy kick. After one taste, you may return to this Chinese comfort food dish over and over.

Secret Ingredient: Bean Sauce

Chinese bean sauce, aka known as Bean Sauce or Ground Bean Sauce is made with ground or whole fermented soybeans. The thick pasty sauce contributes a salty, pronounced fermented bean flavor, similar to soy sauce.

Look for the bean sauce in Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find it, shop for the more available hoisin sauce found in most supermarkets in the Asian sauce section. Omit the sugar when using the sweeter hoisin sauce.

Braised Chicken Wings in Bean Sauce

In a hot 14-inch wok or 5- to 6-quart over high heat pan, add 2 tablespoons salad oil. Add about 2 pounds chicken wing sections. Stir occasionally until wings are lightly browned. Stir in 2 tablespoons minced garlic. Add 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons bean sauce, 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the wings are tender when pierced, 35 to 45 minutes. Add a little more water as needed, if the liquid evaporates before the chicken is done.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the wings to a serving dish. Skim fat off pan juices, and if the sauce tastes watery, boil, uncovered, to concentrate flavor and reduce the sauce to about 1 cup. Pour over the wings. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions or cilantro.

For more recipe details, see page 203 of The Hakka Cookbook. Serve with rice and stir-fried greens. Thanks to Fah Liong, my Hakka friend who taught me this easy and satisfying dish. Enjoy!

Taste the Hakka soul in this pork and mustard green stew

Posted on March 11, 2025 by lla

Soy-Simmered Pork and Salted Mustard Greens

Taste traditional Hakka flavors in this easy pork stew. This dish pairs two Hakka staple ingredients, salted mustard greens and pork. They simmer together with a generous dose of garlic and rice wine. Dark, sweet soy sauce gives it a deep inky hue and salty-sweet-sour flavor. The result tastes distinctively Hakka.

Fah Liong, my Hakka mentor, contributed this recipe to the The Hakka Cookbook. Her Indonesian roots show up in her use of kecap manis, an Indonesian sweet soy sauce. The syrupy soy sauce infuses the stew with a dark, glossy, finish and a salty, sweet, taste. The salted mustard greens, popular in Hakka dishes, balance the richness of the pork and the sweetness of the soy sauce. Serve the soy-braised pork with mounds of hot rice.

Soy-Simmered Pork and Salted Mustard Greens

For a more detailed recipe, see page 222 in The Hakka Cookbook. The dish can be made a day ahead made; cool, cover, and chill. Reheat, covered, over low heat, adding a little extra water, as needed.

3 cups salted mustard greens (about 1 1/4 lb.), rinsed and cut in 1 1/2-inch squares
¼ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup minced garlic
2 pounds boneless pork butt, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 cups Chinese rice wine (shaoxing) or dry sherry
3 tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) OR mix 2 tablespoons each dark soy sauce (see notes, following) and packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (or 4 teaspoons light or regular soy sauce plus 2 teaspoons molasses)
Salt

Soak the mustard greens in water at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours, changing water occasionally. Drain and squeeze excess water out of the mustard greens.
Set a 14-inch wok or 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add the oil and garlic. Stir-fry until garlic is lightly browned, about 15 seconds. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the wine, mustard greens, kecap manis, sugar, and dark soy sauce.
Bring the pork mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender when pierced, 1 ½ to 2 hours. If liquid evaporates before the meat is tender, add a little water as needed, and continue simmering. With a slotted spoon lift out pork and mustard greens and transfer to a serving dish. Skim off the fat from pan juices and discard. Taste juices and if too watery, boil, uncovered, over high heat until juices are reduced to about 1 cup. Taste and add salt and more sugar, if needed. Pour over pork. Makes 6 to 8 main-dish servings.
Notes: For a quick substitute for dark soy sauce (aka black soy sauce, double black soy sauce, mushroom soy sauce) use 2 parts light or regular soy sauce plus 1 part molasses

Bitter melon soup, a Hakka classic

Posted on September 5, 2024 by lla

Summer brings bitter melon (foo gwa). We can find them at the Hmong’s stand at our farmers market. Their appearance prompts curious questions. They don’t look much like melons, their shape is more like a slender gourd or a plump cucumber. Their shiny bumpy skin is furrowed with deep wrinkles and their interior is filled with a white pithy mesh of seeds. Like their name implies, they are bitter. Although Hakka and many Asians love their strong numbing bite, it’s an acquired taste for many. Although I love bitter in many forms, I’ve find most times they are simply too bitter for me.

My father loved them so much that when he retired, he grew them in his garden. His recipe for the Hakka classic, stuffed bitter melon soup is on page 24 of The Hakka Cookbook.

My husband also loves bitter melon. Last weekend we bought two bitter melons at the market. I’m making his favorite, stuffed bitter melon soup tonight. I will use all pork for the filling, You can vary the filling to your taste. Many add some minced shrimp or fish to lighten it. I like to season the pork with some minced ginger, garlic, green onions, cilantro, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, salt, and pepper. Add some cornstarch to help bind it together. Slice the gourd crosswise into thick rings and scoop out the seeds. Pack the meat mixture into the bitter melon rings. then slide them into the simmering broth. Simmer the soup until the melon is tender. Tonight, I had some filling leftover so I dropped spoonfuls of the mixture into the broth. I also added some sliced carrots and celery to the soup because I had some in the refrigerator. Success! He ate three bowls.

Feeling adventurous? Give bitter melons a try.

Welcome the Year of the Dragon

Posted on January 19, 2024 by lla

Happy Chinese New Year! Khiung Hee Fat Choy! In 2024, the Year of the Dragon begins on February 10. Welcome in the lunar new year with a family feast.

Chinese New Year is a time of renewal, a time for fresh starts. To ensure a promising outcome, feature symbolic foods with auspicious messages such as wealth, longevity, luck, and prosperity on your holiday table. Add family favorites to supplement your feast.

I like to involve everyone in the menu planning and preparation. It’s a big meal for one person to cook. So I invite people to contribute a favorite dish. I often look at The Hakka Cookbook for ideas. I may make the Hakka Egg Roll (page 170) which sort of resemble gold bars.

Wrap a thin egg crepe around a pork filling jelly roll style to make Hakka Egg Roll

Someone will bring noodles for long life. Perhaps the Garlic Noodles with Shrimp (page 193) which is similar to lo mein or chow mein. Or the dark Sweet Soy Chow Mein (page 178). Another option might be the savory Noodles with Mushroom Pork Sauce (page 104).

Hakka Noodles with Pork and Mushroom Sauce

Green symbolizes growth in business. Perhaps the simple Chinese Broccoli in Sweet Rice Wine (page 230), Stir-Fried Chinese Lettuce and Wine Rice (page 50), or Stir-Fried Water Spinach and Charred Red Chiles (page 71). A colorful combo would be the Ginger-Scented Squash, Peas, and Lily Bulbs (page 52). Perhaps the green pea pods might symbolize the growth of green dollars and the squash could represent gold coins.

Fish brings abundance to the new year. We often cook Steamed Fish with Green Onions (page 39). Although the Braised Fish in Black Bean Sauce (page 137) might be a delicious alternative this year.

We often supplement with a Chinese roast duck. Or we may make the Hakka Salt-Baked Chicken (page 64) or the simpler Salt-Poached Chicken (page 226).

May your year be filled with joy, prosperity, and peace. Happy New Year! ! Khiung Hee Fat Choy!

Braised mushrooms from Luodai

Posted on August 21, 2023 by lla

Braised Mountain Mushrooms at Guangdong Guild in Luodai

In October 2005, I spent a day in Luodai, a picturesque Hakka suburb of Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province. I was there collecting information and recipes for my Hakka cookbook. This town houses many guilds from different provinces in China. The guilds function as social halls with restaurants, tea houses, and meeting rooms. Donations from Hakka from these provinces built these guilds. We eat two Hakka banquets, one at the Jiangxi Guild, and a second one at the Guangdong Guild.

History of the Guangdong Guild in Luodai

One ingredient that appeared in several dishes in both banquets were mushrooms. Mushrooms grow in the mountains nearby. We saw many mushrooms for sale in town. One dish that was served at both banquets was braised mushrooms. It was a relatively straightforward dish that emphasized the pure, earthy mushroom essence. The mushrooms were simply braised in broth, with garlic, ginger, and leek. It’s an easy dish for the home cook. This is a description on how to make the dish. For a more detailed recipe, see The Hakka Cookbook, page 70.

Braised Mountain Mushrooms

Clean about 12 ounces fresh mushrooms (use one or several types). Discard stems from shiitake. Slice the mushrooms about 1/2-inch thick. If pieces are large, cut mushroom slices in 2- 3-inch lengths. Clean1 leek or 2 or 3 green onions, and thinly slice. Cut 2 or 3 large garlic cloves and a1-inch piece of fresh ginger into thin slices.

In a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add leek, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until leek is limp, about 30 seconds, then add mushrooms. Stir-fry until mushrooms are lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (shaoxing) or dry sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring often until mushrooms are limp, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and add to pan. Stir until the sauce boils. Transfer to serving dish. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

The power of food

Posted on May 6, 2023 by lla

A surprise awaited me in my pile of mail after a long trip. I opened the package to find five copies of the National Museum of Women in Arts (NMWA) catalogue, Reclamation, Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals. The exhibit showed the power of food bringing people together. I was so happy to receive a printed copy of the exhibit, now archived.

About two years ago I contributed a recipe and story to this project that focused on the cultural table. I shared my mom’s recipe for Steamed Black Bean Spareribs. I sent it with my story of growing up as the first Hakka Chinese family in Paradise, a small all-white town in Northern California.

With the museum closed due to covid and renovation, the exhibit transformed into an innovative online exhibit. It featured images and videos of women artists in their own kitchens. Paired with recipes and stories from the public, the exhibit brought different cultures and generations together. You feel the power of food connecting us through this exhibit.

Gifts for the aspiring Chinese chef

Posted on November 25, 2022 by lla

A cooking kit for the aspiring Chinese chef: The Hakka Cookbook packed in a Chinese steamer basket with ingredients such as Tianjin preserved vegetables, bean sauce, and Chinese rice wine (shaoxing).

Looking for the perfect gift for your aspiring Chinese chef? If you have someone on your list who wants to learn to cook Chinese food, here are some suggestions for the novice to the more experienced cook. Of course, I would give The Hakka Cookbook with over 140 recipes for Chinese comfort food to special occasion festival dishes. It also includes directions on how to use tools and equipment and a glossary of Chinese pantry ingredients. You can order The Hakka Cookbook from your local bookstore or buy online from many sources, depending on the country you are shopping from.

For a cooking kit, package the book with cooking tools or ingredients. Here are some suggestions.

1. Wok. This is the ultimate all-purpose pan in the Chinese kitchen. Use the wok to stir-fry, deep-fry, braise, boil, and steam. For Western kitchens I would choose a 14-inch flat-bottom wok made from rolled steel or enamel-clad cast iron. Check with the Wok Shop. They will find the right wok for you and your stove. These hard working pans are bargain-priced compared to most Western high quality pans. Also buy a wok spatula to make stir-frying easier and a wok lid. This versatile bowl-shaped pan can also be used for Western dishes. I use mine to make spaghetti sauce and popcorn.

2. Chinese cleaver. This is the equivalent of the French chef’s knife. It’s an all-purpose knife with the advantage of a wide blade that’s handy for crushing garlic and scooping up cut vegetables.

I’ve used this metal multi-layer Chinese steamer for over 20 years. I can cook two dishes at the same time. The base is also handy for cooking vegetables and noodles.

3. Chinese metal steamer or bamboo steamer. These steamers can accommodate wide dishes often used to hold a whole fish, meats, and beaten eggs. Choose one about 11 to 12 inches wide. Basket steamers can be stacked and fit inside a wok. If you steam often, consider a metal multi-layer steamer you can cook several dishes at a time. Steaming is an easy and healthful way to cook. The Wok Shop as well as many Asian supermarkets sell these steamers. Also look for them online.

4. Staples of the Chinese pantry. Present an assortment of key seasonings, especially those that are not readily available in the supermarket, such as dark soy sauce, Chinese rice wine (shaoxing), fermented black beans or black bean and garlic sauce, ground bean sauce, Tianjin preserved vegetables, dried black fungus, and dried tangerine peel. Look at The Hakka Pantry starting on page 247 in The Hakka Cookbook for suggestions, descriptions, Chinese names, and shopping guidance. Or add one of our sauces, JADE Sichuan Peanut Sauce, that is ready to eat without cooking for a table sauce, salad dressing, or stir-fry sauce.

5. Chinese clay pot. For the cook who has the basic equipment, consider giving a clay pot (also known as sand pot). Braise stews, simmer soups, and cook rice in these rustic pots that enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients. They also serve as handsome serving dishes. Buy these pots at an Asian cookware store such as the Wok Shop or online.

Ways to use lotus root

Posted on July 26, 2022 by lla

Fresh lotus root looks a bit scruffy on the outside. This rhizome of the lotus plant resembles a string of fat, ivory-colored sausages. To reveal its beauty, peel and thinly slice the root crosswise to see it blossom into lacy snowflakes. When lightly cooked, they’re crisp and slightly sweet and crunchy. When thicker chunks simmer in broth or stew, they take on a starchy quality somewhat like a slightly sweet firm potato.

I lightly blanch the thin slices in boiling water, then rinse and drain them. I cook half using the recipe for Stir-fried Lotus Root and Pork in The Hakka Cookbook (page 79). It’s easy and satisfying. In this simple dish, stir-fry soy sauce-marinated thinly sliced pork with lots of green onions, a few slices of chile, and garlic. Add the the blanched slices of lotus root and a sauce mixture of water, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, cornstarch, and bean sauce or hoisin sauce. Eat with rice.

For easy pickles, I immerse the blanched thin slices of lotus root in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. I use the recipe for Pickled Carrots an Radishes (page 60) in The Hakka Cookbook as a guideline for the pickling liquid. Add a few slices of ginger or chiles, if you like. Chill the pickles at least 2 days or up to 2 weeks. They’re deliciously crisp, tangy and sweet. Enjoy!

Happy Year of the Tiger!

Posted on January 28, 2022 by lla

Happy Chinese New Year! Khiung Hee Fat Choy ????! It’s a time of renewal and feasting. In 2022, February 1, marks the start of the Year of the Tiger. On the Chinese horoscope, each year is dominated by an animal sign: Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey rooster, dog, and pig. Each animal has special characteristics. This is the year of the tiger. Some horoscopes predict this year symbolizes spontaneity, novelty, and determinism.

A family reunion feast is central to the Chinese New Year celebration. The table is traditionally filled with foods that send auspicious messages to attract wealth, luck, success, unity, longevity.

As I plan the menu for our family’s new year feast, I’m looking through The Hakka Cookbook for ideas. I like our meals to be a cooperative effort, sort of an organized potluck plus cooking lesson. It’s easier to share cooking duties and hopefully everyone can learn something new. For my grandchildren, I try to include one cooking activity. In the past, we have made won tons, dumplings, and pot stickers. This year we may make Stuffed Tofu (pages 31, 33). The Hakka invented stuffed tofu when they could not find wheat flour in their new home in the south to make the dumplings they ate in the former home in northern China.

Natalie Com Liu's Tofu topped with Pork — Natalie Com Liu’s Tofu Topped with Pork from The Hakka Cookbook page 33

Hakka Noodles with Mushroom Pork Sauce — Noodles with Mushroom Pork Sauce from The Hakka Cookbook page 104

Noodles represent long life. I like the dark, umami-rich flavor of Noodles with Mushroom Pork Sauce (page 104). Or perhaps we’ll cook Garlic Noodles and Shrimp (page 193), sort of a Hakka-style Chow Mein. Fish is a must-have on Chinese New Year table. The fish brings surplus and abundance to the new year. I like the Steamed Fish with Green Onions (page 39) or the Braised Fish in Black Bean Sauce (page 137). Steaming or braising keeps the delicate flesh moist and is so easy. A green vegetable represents growth in business. I love the simplicity of the stir-fried Chinese Broccoli in Sweet Rice Wine (page 230).

Possibly we may cook the famous Hakka Salt-baked Chicken (page 64) or some of the easier variations. For a special dish, consider making the Braised Chicken stuffed with Preserved Mustard Greens (page 233). Or maybe we’ll buy a Chinese roast duck.

For me, Chinese New Year is about food and family. Khiung Hee Fat Choy ????! Happy New Year!

Good luck symbols of Chinese New Year — Symbols of good luck and prosperity for Chinese New Year

The Hakka Cookbook

Chinese Soul Food from Around the World

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