Hakka cuisine

Shenzhen's sizeable population of Hakka people has added their own unique dishes and flavors to the region. Hakka food is rustic and straightforward, making extensive use of pork, tofu, soy sauce and rice. Dishes are salty, fragrant, and strong-flavored without being spicy. Historically, the Hakka were farmers accustomed to long days of toil in the fields, so their food had to suitably hearty and heavy to give them enough energy for a hard day's work.

Hakka dishes to try

Stuffed Tofu 酿豆腐; niàng dòufu 

One of the most famous Hakka dishes, square-shaped “dumplings” of tofu are stuffed with a filling of pork, mushrooms or shrimp, then braised in a rich sauce. The dish is said to derive from the Hakka people's migration from northern regions to the south. Finding no flour to make dumplings, they had to use tofu instead. 

Poon Choi 盆菜;pén cà

A festival dish once enjoyed in Guangdong's fortified Hakka villages and residences, this is acasserole-like feast usually cooked in a huge pot, and comprised of multiple layers of meats, seafood and vegetables. Generally reserved for special occasions, the biggest versions can feed dozens of people at once, and cost thousands of yuan. You can learn more about the history and culture behind the dish, and see a diorama re-recreation of a Poon Choi banquet, at the Shenzhen Museum.

Chicken Stuffed in Pork Tripe 猪肚包鸡; zhūdǔ bāoji

A Hakka dish from around the Shenzhen region, this hotpot-style treat consists of a whole chicken squeezed into a pig stomach, boiled, then sliced up and served in a rich, peppery soup. Ingredients like vegetables can be dipped in the soup the same way as a Sichuan-style hotpot.