Harbin, China Recipes

Does anyone have authentic recipes from Harbin in the north of China? I understand that this food is an unusual mix of Chinese and Russian cuisine, because the city had a large population of Russian expatriates.

HI,

I was just doing a little reading on the Harbin Russians. They effectively built Harbin as employees of the China Eastern Railway (around 1900?). It appears they left the region by the mid-1960's, either repatriated to the Soviet Union or went on to Australia or South America.

Absent of these Russians for almost 46 years, I wonder how much of their cuisine and culture lingers in this region. What do you know about the Harbin Russians? Have you sampled this interesting mix of a cuisine? What can you describe it as?

Thank you for my learning moment for today.

Regards,

I have a close friend born and raised in Harbin - he tells me that there is a strong Russian and Ashkenazi (Eastern European Jewish) influence on the city, including architecture and food. Apparently you can eat rye bread and western influenced sausage in Harbin; He also told me that westerners love Harbin food, but that the cuisine is not well known internationally, or even in most of China. A quick web search, review of Amazon, and Google Books netted no authentic recipes.

HI,

What I now know, I learned from reading Wikipedia, who also highlighted the bread and European-style sausages.

On the dark side of history, Harbin Russians who returned to the USSR during the 1930's as well as those post World War II, we're considered suspect and put to gulags. Many Harbin Russians were anti-Communist, though those were the ones likely not to return. It also may indicate why this pocket of ex-pat's may not be widely known. If you were associated with them, it could mean trouble for you.

The internet is always full of surprises, I will keep my eyes open and advise whatever I may learn. Maybe your friend's family and friends in Harbin might be a source of recipes. Of course, if you are trying to launch a surprise, this source may not be immediately available.

I just asked my Dad who vaguely remembered Harbin being near Vladovostok, then I mentioned the railroad. The bells went off, because Harbin is a border town from Russia into China. He hasn't personally been there, though he knew people who traveled that route.

Regards,

A quick google search of 哈尔滨菜谱 (Harbin cookbook/recipe) yielded this interesting blog post:

http://cmap100.blog.163.com/blog/static/54571716200841423038966/

A few old cookbooks and a map of good eats in Harbin.

I'll see if I can dig up some more when I get a bit more time.

HI,

That is terrific. I used google translator to translate the page you cited: http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... =&ie=UTF-8

Regards,

My mother was born in Harbin. She left there at the age of six, so I doubt she remembers much. However, my aunt (who just celebrated her 100th birthday) may remember some recipes. I remember my grandmother cooked some Russian dishes with distinctly Chinese influences. I will ask some relatives about this. During the Russian Civil War in the 1920s, my grandparents, who were Ussuri Cossacks (and members of the White movement) spent much of their time traveling between Vladivostok and Harbin.