In partnership with the Overseas Community Affairs Council, the Colorado Taiwanese Hakka Association, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver, the Hakka Affairs Council brought the Hakka Cuisine Touring Workshop (海外客家行動灶下) to Denver on June 21 and 22.

On June 21, cooking sessions were held at the century-old landmark Denver First Church. Experienced Hakka chefs Wen Kuo-chi (溫國智) and Chiu Yu-han (邱聿涵) helped participants learn the recipes of six Hakka dishes, including classic Hakka stir-fry (客家小炒), preserved vegetables and pork buns (客家梅菜小豬包), braised pork knuckles with dried bamboo shoots (筍乾蹄膀), steamed nine-layer cakes (九層糕), fried rice sieve noodles known as Mi Si Mu (炒米篩目), and mesona chicken soup (仙草雞). Among all the courses, the smooth flavor of the last soup dish won the hearts of the participants for its ease of consumption during the dry seasons of Denver.

Presented as a buffet-style Hakka banquet, the June 22 session was attended by Greenwood Village Mayor Ron Rakowsky; Midori Takeuchi, consul-general of Japan in Denver; Roland Denegri, consul-general of Peru; Juan Fernando Valey, consul-general of Guatemala; and Jose Manuel Castillo, consul-general of EL Salvador.

Traditional Hakka dishes prepared by the two chefs included steamed stuffed duck (八寶鴨), Hakka glutinous rice (客家油飯), Hakka rice dumplings (客家大湯圓), and Niu Wen Shui (牛汶水), which consists of sticky rice cakes served with brown sugar and ginger juice. Wen and Chiu also presented two more creative dishes — pineapple chicken soup and sautéed beef with taro — which are new takes on Hakka cuisine.

Mayor Rakowsky’s daughter and Consul-General Takeuchi were invited to join the activity of making persimmon rolls and Lei Cha (擂茶), which is a traditional Hakka drink. Participants were intrigued by the experience of making those dishes.