客家菜 家乡情

Hakka people often find excuses for the lack of presentation for their food， especially compared with their seafood-rich neighbors of Chaozhou and Shantou， where more attention is paid to how dishes are prepared and presented.

The Hakka idea of feasting is mostly meat. Its salt-roasted chicken has been incorporated into Cantonese cuisine as a standard. The origin of bean curd stuffed with a small meatball goes back to the time before the Hakka moved away from the Central Plains. Unlikely as it seems， this famous dish is a variation of jiaozi， but since wheat was hard to come by in South China， the Hakka had to make do with tofu.

Like its dialect， the Hakka cuisine has traces of their connection to the landlocked north. The emphasis on meat could be a testament to hard times when meat was a luxury and reserved for only the rarest of occasions. But dishes like pork with salted vegetables have gained popularity across the nation. It is， however， pork tripe stewed chicken， among the Hakka staples， proved to be delicious beyond description.

Vegetarians need not despair. Traditionally， much of the Hakka diet is sourced from the earth. It might have been out of necessity， but it has been honed into a culinary art. Tell your host that you prefer a healthy portion of vegetarian food and youll be surprised at the variety that will greet you and your palate.

Last but certainly not least is Mamas Red Wine. It is similar to many local Chinese brews but much sweeter. Distilled from sticky rice and well water， it is traditionally brewed by the matriarch of the household.

Nowadays there are plenty of brands and they vary slightly in taste. But invariably they remind people of red wine made from grapes. One sip and you will be transported to the land of hospitality where people may have endured much hardship but have retained their friendly nature.

跟海味十足的潮州菜和汕头菜比起来，客家菜显得有些默默无闻。前两者食材讲究，制作精良，上菜时摆盘也很精美，而客家菜却不怎么讲究这些，这样说来，默默无闻也就情有可原了。

在客家人眼里，宴席主要就是要吃肉。客家菜里的盐焗鸡已经被纳入经典粤菜之中。豆腐丸的起源可以追溯到客家人从中原迁离之前。让人感到不可思议的是，这个著名的菜肴其实是饺子的变形，因为南方不大种植小麦，客家不得不用豆腐来代替。

就像客家方言一样，客家菜也处处体现着其与北方内陆地区的密切关系。客家菜对于肉的重视，是困难时期肉作为奢侈品只在很重要场合才能吃到的证明。但是像咸菜焖猪肉这样的菜肴在全国都很受欢迎。还有一道客家主食叫作猪肚炖鸡，也是美味到无法形容。

素食者也不必失望。传统上，大部分的客家菜食材都是直接从地里采的。这可能并无必要，但此举已经成为一门烹饪艺术。跟招待你的客家人说明你喜欢健康的素食，那么你就会惊讶地发现居然有非常多的吃法，它们会惊艳你的味蕾。

最后要说的是娘酒。它跟许多中国产的啤酒差不多但却更甜。娘酒一般都是客家妇女将糯米和井水进行蒸馏以后酿造出来的。

现在娘酒有很多个品牌，味道略有不同。但娘酒总让人想起葡萄酒。轻抿一口，你就会被送到那片好客的土地上，那里的人们历经磨难，却依然保持着淳朴的民风。