In the past, the overproduction of sour kumquat (a tiny
tangerine-like fruit) and the fact that the fruit was too acidic to be eaten
directly, led the diligent Hakka people to turn them into kumquat preserve that
was easy to keep. They also used kumquat preserve to replace chili sauce as a
traditional dip and seasoning. As a result, in the diet of Taiwan’s Hakka people,
kumquat preserve can be said to be quite a special Hakka sauce.
The main method of making kumquat preserve is to first wash
the picked kumquat and then separate the pulp from the peel by hand. The pulp
and peel should be treated separately. The seeds in the pulp should be removed.
The aroma of kumquat preserve mainly comes from the kumquat peel, but if the
kumquat peel is not treated well, it will taste bitter. Therefore, it is
necessary to soak the peel in water for 2 to 3 days, change the water 2 to 3
times each day, then grind it, add chili pepper and pepper to adjust the taste,
and cook it to get a delicious kumquat preserve.
The sour taste of kumquat preserve is not only appetizing. In
Hakka cuisine, it is often mixed with pork belly, boiled tender chicken (aka
“white chop chicken”) and so on; it helps neutralize the greasiness of the
chicken. With its high nutrient content, it is a good nutritional condiment for
Hakka people, especially those who like heavy tastes, such as salty, aromatic
and oily dishes.
Hakka Kumquat Preserve Tiger Skin Rolls
Ingredients:
3 catties (1,812 grams) of flat noodles, 1 catty (604 grams) of
tiger skin cake layer, 3 bags of seaweed, 2 catties (1,208 grams) of salted
pork, half a catty (302 grams) of garlic, 1 jar of kumquat preserve, 1 catty
(604 grams) of fresh kumquat, 200 g of water, salt, 37.8 grams of ginger and an
appropriate amount of tomato.
Cooking method:
1. Marinate the pork belly with minced garlic, black pepper, soy sauce and salt.
2. Shred the garlic. After separating the kumquat’s pulp, peel and juice, boil the peel until it is soft.
3. Put the peel, juice and pulp together into a juicer to blend. Then mix with sugar and cook it into a sauce.
4. Put the flat noodles, tiger skin cake layer and seaweed together, wrap the fried pork slices inside, and put the cooked kumquat preserve over it. Garnish with cherry tomatoes.