Hakka Stir-Fry is the best-known stir-fried dish in Taiwan's Hakka cuisine, made by flash-frying five ingredients over high heat: dried tofu, dried squid, pork belly, Chinese celery, and scallions. Hsinchu County has the highest Hakka population share of any county or city in Taiwan, at about 67.8 percent, and Zhudong's Hung Chin (鴻金食堂) was recognized for its Hakka Stir-Fry when Hsinchu County and City entered the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan's Bib Gourmand selection for the first time in 2025; the restaurant's chef has also won awards at the Hakka Affairs Council's National Hakka Stir-Fry Championship.
In the early 2010s the Hakka Affairs Council designated Hakka Stir-Fry as one of the 'four stir-fries' in its official Hakka representative menu. The council held its first National Hakka Stir-Fry Championship in 2020, with regional preliminaries followed by a national final at Taipei's Flower Expo Park on January 16, 2021, drawing 120 competing restaurants and a total prize pool of NT$690,000; the chef at Zhudong's Hung Chin (鴻金食堂) placed in the competition. When Hsinchu County and City were added to the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan's Bib Gourmand list for the first time in 2025, Hung Chin (No. 312, Section 3, Kehu Road, Zhudong Township, Hsinchu County) was selected for its Hakka Stir-Fry.
What is Hakka Stir-Fry
The standard recipe calls for tofu cut into strips, rehydrated dried squid sliced into shreds, pork belly sliced thin, Chinese celery cut into sections, and scallions cut into sections. The key technique is high-heat stir-frying: pork belly goes in first to render its fat, then dried tofu and squid are added in sequence until fragrant, and finally celery and scallions are tossed in and seasoned with soy sauce — all over sustained high heat throughout. The finished dish is dry and aromatic rather than wet, each ingredient retaining its chew, with the umami of the dried squid, the soy fragrance of the tofu, and the richness of the rendered pork fat combining into a deeply savory rice accompaniment. Some local Hsinchu restaurants finish the dish with Hakka-brewed soy sauce paste for added depth.
The ingredient combination in Hakka Stir-Fry reflects the practical wisdom of Hakka communities: dried squid and dried tofu are shelf-stable pantry staples, pork belly is a household constant in Hakka kitchens, and celery and scallions were crops grown by farming families. The dish embodies the Hakka philosophy of frugality and making full use of what is on hand. Hsinchu County has the highest proportion of Hakka residents in Taiwan, with Zhudong and Xinpu as core Hakka townships; restaurants in both areas each draw on local soy sauce brands, giving their versions slightly distinct character — but the five-ingredient combination is the framework recognized by the Hakka Affairs Council.
How to eat it the local way
Local knowledge
Verified sources
- The Hakka Affairs Council's Hakka Food Culture Records lists Hakka Stir-Fry as a core representative dish, with the five-ingredient combination documented in an official publication.
- Hsinchu County's Hakka population proportion exceeds seventy percent — the highest in Taiwan — with Zhudong and Xinpu as core Hakka townships; Hakka Stir-Fry is a standard menu item at virtually every Hakka restaurant in the area.
- The ingredient sourcing of Hakka Stir-Fry (dried squid, dried tofu, pork belly) reflects the food-preservation traditions of Hakka communities and is grounded in a traceable culinary and cultural history.
Practical tips
- Many restaurants around Taiwan display a 'Hakka' label, but the quality of their Hakka Stir-Fry varies enormously. Choose restaurants within the actual Hakka communities of Zhudong or Xinpu rather than spots near tourist attractions.
- Hakka Stir-Fry is on the heavier side in terms of seasoning. Those with high blood pressure or following a low-sodium diet can ask the restaurant in advance to reduce the amount of soy sauce.
- Restaurants near Xinpu Yimin Temple see heavier crowds around the Yimin Festival (seventh lunar month); visiting outside the festival period generally means more stable service and food quality.
Sources: Hakka Affairs Council, Hakka Food Culture Records; Hsinchu County Government Hakka Affairs Department promotional materials. Photos pending replacement with Dio's original shots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the traditional recipe for Hakka Stir-Fry?
The standard recipe uses five ingredients — dried tofu, dried squid, pork belly, Chinese celery, and scallions — flash-fried over high heat and seasoned with soy sauce; the result is dry and aromatic with each ingredient keeping its chew, and it's one of the Hakka Affairs Council's officially designated representative dishes.
Has Zhudong's Hakka Stir-Fry received any outside recognition?
Zhudong's Hung Chin (鴻金食堂) was recognized for its Hakka Stir-Fry when Hsinchu County and City entered the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan's Bib Gourmand selection for the first time in 2025, and its chef has also won awards at the Hakka Affairs Council's national championship.
What's the local way to eat Hakka Stir-Fry?
It should be eaten with plenty of white rice, since its salty, savory flavor is designed as a rice accompaniment; when choosing a restaurant, checking whether the kitchen actually uses high-heat wok cooking is the key indicator of quality.
Sources
- 《臺灣米其林指南2025》新竹市與新竹縣必比登推介中8道米其林評審員最愛的菜色 — 米其林官網，客家小炒獲評審推薦
- Hung Chin – Hsinchu County, MICHELIN Guide Restaurant — 米其林官網餐廳頁，地址與必比登資訊
- 2020客家小炒全國爭霸賽總獎金69萬元 楊長鎮邀集「客庄大主廚」全臺炒翻天 — 客家委員會官網，賽事沿革與獎金
- 110年全國客家人口暨語言基礎資料調查研究 — 客家委員會官方調查，新竹縣客家人口比例