The Hakka Cookbook

“Chapters follow Anusasananann's travels, and include essays and recipes that most readers will identify as simply Chinese but are actually benchmarks of Hakka fare. Dishes like salt-baked chicken, pork belly with preserved mustard greens and stuffed tofu appear alongside versions of fried wontons, steamed egg custard and assorted stir-fries. . . . What emerges is a comprehensive, yet accessible, look at a rarely explored group and the food that defines them.”

— San Francisco Chronicle

“Starting in her grandmother's kitchen, the author traces the culinary roots of the Hakka people, who were forced from China's Henan Province by invaders in 317 and have been part of a global diaspora ever since. Her recipes reveal how Hakka dishes have absorbed the flavors around them, from Jamaica, where Scotch bonnet peppers are added to soup noodles, to Peru, where yucca is substituted for taro in a steamed pork dish.”

— Saveur

"Hakka meals today carry decidedly global influences from Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Anusasananan's recipes embolden you to finally create a party-worthy spread that includes a plethora of delectable and flavorful pickles, steamed black bean pork sliders and a yummy tray of garlic-chile eggplant sticks."

— SF Weekly

“For Chinese-Americans like myself, we’re all the better for its publication, too, because it includes so many recipes for dishes that we grew up with and still crave to this day.”

— Foodgal

"The author, a food editor at Sunset magazine for 34 years, is adept at writing recipes, and the introductions to each merit careful reading for their addiitonal information on ingredients, cooking techniques, and serving."

— Art of Eating

“One of the most interesting Asian cookbooks released this year. . . . The book begs you to spend time with it."

— Viet World Kitchen

“Fascinating . . . . The book contains recipes for classics, including tofu stuffed with ground pork, as well as dishes such as a Hakka-Jamaican goat stew with preserved-lime sauce, that tell stories of movement and adaptation. With Anusasananan’s book in one hand and a hot wok in the other, we too can taste what it means to be Hakka.”

— Tasting Table San Francisco

“Anusasananan’s deep personal connection to the tradition, together with her extensive experience testing and developing recipes, make this book both an intimate journey of discovery and an exciting introduction to a vibrant cuisine. Alan Lau’s art gracefully weaves a visual trail through the pages.”

— Van Nuys News Press