Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子)

Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子) is one of the well-known traditional cuisines of the Hakka people. Although the preparation of this dish using a dough formed of tapioca flour and yam is rather time-consuming, I made this once every few months as the dish is my family's favorite. It also allows me and my daughters to work together in kneading the little bead-shaded balls.

I made this last month for Mother’s Day pot luck at my mother-in-law’s place. She is a true blue Hakka. Hence, a home-made Hakka Abacus Beads dish is the best dish for her. J

Recipe for Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子)

Ingredients:

• 450g yam
• 225g Tapioca Flour (茨粉)
• 90g boiling water (adjust the amount of water accordingly to the texture of the dough)
• 150g minced pork
• Some Chinese mushrooms, soaked and cut into thin slices
• A handful of dried shrimp, soaked and chopped finely
• Some Chinese black fungus, soaked and cut into thin slices
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic

Seasonings:

• Appropriate quantities of white pepper, light soya sauce, fish sauce, according to your taste
• A few drops of dark soya sauce to add color to the dish 

Cooking Steps:

1. Remove the skin of yam and cut into little cubes.
2. Steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until soften to mash.
3. Mash the soften yam cubes into yam paste.
4. While the paste is still hot but cooled down enough to handle by hands, add in tapioca flour and boiling water and knead into dough. The dough should be towards the dry side but moist enough to hold together to form a big dough ball.
5. With clean hands, pinch small amount of the dough and roll into small balls, about the size of a marble.
6. Use your thumb and index finger; gently press the centre of each bead ball to make an indented hole on two sides of the ball. Now, you can see that the marble has turned into little grey abacus beadJ. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.
7. To cook the balls, bring a pan of water to boil, gently drop in the balls over several batches (do not place too many balls inside at one go. Otherwise, they will stick together). Stir to prevent sticking together. When the balls float up the surface of the boiling water, they are done. Scoop them up and place them in a big pot of cold tap water until they are ready for stir-frying.
8. To stir fry the balls, heat up a wok and sauté the garlic, dried shrimp, Chinese mushroom, black fungus and the minced pork. Stir fry until they are cooked and lightly brown.
9. Scoop the cooked abacus beads from the cold water and add them into the wok, give them a good stir to combine all ingredients, add in seasonings and some water if necessary so that the content are sticky but not too dry. Continue to stir fry for one or two minutes. Off the fire and dish up.

Tuck in while warm and enjoy!