Sǐu-Mǒi tells the life story of a Hakka woman through twenty-one dishes and flavors.
From the white rice given by Japanese soldiers to humble tea-rice brewed while
picking tea leaves on Yangmei Mountain; from the pickled mustard greens and wild
ginger prepared after marriage to the nourishing chicken wine served to new mothers;
from the street-side ‘gougou’ soup she sold for a living to the moment her daughterin-
law takes over the family kitchen. On the family table, Vietnamese spring rolls
and Indonesian instant noodles are served alongside traditional Hakka dishes such
as preserved pork. Each dish is tied to a pivotal memory in Sǐu-Mǒi’s life, weaving
together the bittersweet tastes of her journey and painting vivid scenes of a changing
era.