Hakka Stuffed Eggs

Hakka Stuffed Eggs

　　The Hakka people are skilled at making a variety of stuffed dishes. In the old days, when resources were scarce, stuffed eggs were the best dish to serve relatives and friends in Hakka regions. As children, we looked forward to visiting relatives more often just to enjoy a delicious meal of fragrant stuffed eggs. They are flavorful and rich in nutrients, especially high in protein and minerals.

　　The Hakka people’s fondness for stuffed dishes is said to stem from a cultural attachment to dumplings. “Stuffed” (酿) refers to filling ingredients similar to dumpling stuffing into main ingredients like tofu—examples include stuffed tofu, stuffed bitter melon, and stuffed bean sprouts. Because the Hakka have such an affinity for “stuffed” dishes, other dishes with fillings are also called stuffed, such as “stuffed rice cake (酿粄)” and “stuffed spring rolls (酿春).” Though stuffed dishes may seem simple, they actually require quite a bit of care and effort to make, with particular emphasis on the cook’s skill and patience. Some even say that a daughter-in-law who marries into a Hakka family is only considered a proper Hakka bride if she can make stuffed dishes well.

　　Ingredients:

　　4 eggs, 50g lean pork, 2 stalks of cilantro, ginger, scallions, oil, MSG, salt, and a small amount of cornstarch.

　　How to Make Hakka Stuffed Eggs

　　①Mince the lean pork into a paste, and finely chop the scallions and ginger.

　　②Heat a pan over medium heat, add 20g of oil, and stir-fry the pork paste until it begins to brown. Add chopped scallions, ginger, and a small amount of salt and other seasonings, and cook the meat filling until done.

　　③Boil 3 eggs in water until fully cooked. Peel them, cut each in half, remove the yolks, and place the meat filling in the space where the yolk was.

　　④Beat the remaining egg in a bowl into a foam using chopsticks, add a small amount of cornstarch, and mix well. Pour the mixture over the eggs to cover the meat filling. Garnish with cilantro, place in a steamer, and steam until cooked through. Serve.