Meatless Day Challenge #10 – Hakka Luicha

Meatless Day Challenge

Chinese New Year is celebrated for 15 days. There is almost a different event for each day of celebration. Vegetarian meals are eaten on some days and certain Gods need to be prayed to on others. The seventh day is the birthday of all human beings. In the past, farmers in the villages will gather and make a almost vegetarian dish that consists of a green soup and seven different types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. So I thought for this week’s challenge, it will be a good idea to introduce to this really amazing peasant dish that was prepared and cooked by a friend’s mum.

These days many Chinese dialect groups will celebrate by having yeesheng. But the Hakka still have the tradition of having luicha for this occasion instead. The soup is made up of mainly basil, coriander, mint, peanuts, sesame seeds, dried anchovies (ikan bilis) and tea leaves. They are cooked, blended together and then placed in the middle of the table.

** For the full vegetarian version, just remove the ikan bilis

The green broth

Seven different types of vegetables will be prepared in the same manner and served as individual dishes along with the soup. The only ones that I could pick up from the table is snow peas, bok choy and kailan. The rest had Chinese names and could not find a translation for. But according to friend’s mum, it doesn’t matter but I think she did mention to refrain from using leeks. The vegetables are just simply stir-fried with garlic, salt and white pepper. In addition, there were preserved radish, dried prawns (remove for vegetarians) and whole peanuts as side dishes as well.

The green feast

To eat it, just scoop a little rice into a big bowl, add all the vegetables and side dishes. Lastly, top it up with the green soup, mix it through and eat. This is one of the best and memorable dishes that I have eaten so far. It is so simple but when everything came together, it just worked. The tedious part of this meal is to diced up all the vegetables into similar sizes. And I think it is quite tricky to get the balance right with all the green herbs and tea.

Seven vegetables and side dishes in the bowl

This is tradition that needs to be kept and passed on. After being in Australia for more than a decade, I am on the verge of losing many of these old traditions. And without any blood relations here, it is even harder to keep track and remember these old ways. We still celebrate Chinese New Year with friends but it still somehow lack the festive mood that I have experienced if I am back in Asia.

hakka luicha

We had a great evening sitting on the big round table in the kitchen. Eating and having a few glasses of vino. Even Ms C’s parents joined us. That is so cool! So thanks Ms. C and your family for making such a memorable meal. It tastes really good and nothing that I have tried before. Till the next time!

Do you believe in keeping traditions?