Easy Hakka recipes for everyday

My daughters are like many of you-–looking for recipes for a healthy dinner on a hectic schedule. They lead busy lives with small children who have active social calendars that rival their parents. Although my girls like to cook, their time is limited. I love it when they tell me they turn to The Hakka Cookbook for inspiration.

Often they look for a recipe they can use with food they have on hand. Sometimes they shop for a favorite recipe that has become a quick go-to weeknight dish such as Stir-fried Chinese Broccoli and Chicken (page 210).

Here are some of the quick and easy recipes that they have used from The Hakka Cookbook in the last few weeks. As you can see, they sometimes adapt the recipe to their family’s taste and the ingredients they have at the moment. You can do the same.

Stir-fried Long Beans with Pork with cook’s additional of cherry tomatoes (page 21)
Stir-fried Chicken and Cucumbers from The Hakka Cookbook
Garlic-Chile Eggplant Sticks (page 56)
Stir-fried Chicken and Cucumbers with cook’s substitution of cherry tomatoes for red chile slices (page 202)

Don’t let time stop you from eating well.

Easy, quick Hakka recipes for the family

Stir-fry seasoned ground pork with chunks of tofu and season with soy sauce for quick kid-friendly meal.

On my Facebook page I received a request for easy, fast, family friendly Hakka recipes from someone who owned The Hakka Cookbook. She had children and didn’t have time to find the easiest recipes. Over the years, I have pointed out a number of quick choices in this blog. Here’s one of the most kid-friendly meals that will not tax the most stressed cook.


Stir-fried Tofu and Pork Hash (page 123 in The Hakka Cookbook) takes the flavors of the Hakka classic, Stuffed Tofu (nyiong tiu fu in Hakka), and deconstructs the elements into a quick and easy stir-fry worthy of a weeknight family dinner. It’s so easy you almost don’t need a recipe. Just season some ground pork like you would when making stuffed tofu. Drain and crumble tofu into big chunks. Stir-fry the meat until browned and crumbly, add tofu, and soy sauce to taste. Cook until hot. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Stir-fried Iceberg lettuce and garlic
Stir-fry whole garlic cloves until golden, then add iceberg lettuce pieces and stir-fry just until slightly wilted.


Serve with Stir-fried Iceberg Lettuce and Garlic (page 27) or Chinese Broccoli with Sweet Rice Wine (page 230), or your favorite stir-fried greens. Add hot cooked rice and you have a quick, satisfying, and nutritious dinner for 3 or 4. The mild flavors will please young diners but are savory enough to satisfy adult tastes.