chinese

Hakka Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi)

Name: Hakka Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi)
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: 550 g Taro; 150 g Tapioca flour; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Sesame oil; 1 cup Cooking oil; 100 g Shallots; 150 g Minced pork; 30 g Dried shrimp; 50 g Shiitake mushrooms; 30 g Wood ear mushrooms; 3 cloves Garlic; 10 g Red chili; 20 g Scallions (white part); 10 g Scallions (green part); 2 tbsp Oyster sauce; 1 tbsp Light soy sauce; 1 tsp Dark soy sauce

A traditional Hakka dish featuring chewy taro dumplings shaped like abacus beads, stir-fried with savory minced pork, dried shrimp, mushrooms, and aromatic seasonings. This recipe emphasizes selecting powdery taro for the best texture and provides tips for making and storing the abacus seeds.

1h 40m 4 servingsMr. Hong Kitchen阿鸿厨房 Source

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Nutrition· per serving · estimated

454

Calories

16g

Protein

72g

Carbs

12g

Fat

Scale recipe

4 servings

Original recipe

Ingredients17 items

Produce

🍠Taro550 g

🧅Shallots100 g

🍄Shiitake mushrooms50 g

🍄Wood ear mushrooms30 g

🧄Garlic3 cloves

🌶️Red chili10 g

🧅Scallions (white part)20 g

🌿Scallions (green part)10 g

Meat

🐖Minced pork150 g

Seafood

🦐Dried shrimp30 g

Pantry

🍚Tapioca flour150 g

SesamölSesame oil1 tbsp

🌻Cooking oil1 cup

🦪Oyster sauce2 tbsp

醬油Light soy sauce1 tbsp

醬油Dark soy sauce1 tsp

Spices

🧂Salt1 tsp

Instructions

1
Peel the taro and cut it into thick slices or chunks. Arrange them on a plate for steaming.
2
Steam the taro for 20 minutes until it is very soft and easily pierced with chopsticks.
20:00 timer
3
While the taro is still hot, transfer it to a bowl and mash it thoroughly until it forms a smooth paste. Use a potato masher or a fork.
4
Add the tapioca flour in 2-3 batches to the mashed taro. After each addition, mix well. Then add salt and sesame oil.
5
Knead the mixture by hand until it forms a smooth, non-sticky dough. Add more tapioca flour if needed until the dough is smooth and pliable.
6
Wrap the taro dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
15:00 timer
7
Roll out portions of the dough into long, cylindrical ropes. Cut the ropes into small, even pieces.
8
Roll each piece into a small ball, then use your thumb to press an indentation in the center, creating the abacus seed shape.
9
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the abacus seeds in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot.
10
Cook until the abacus seeds float to the surface, indicating they are cooked through. Remove them with a slotted spoon.
11
Immediately transfer the cooked abacus seeds to a bowl of cold water to prevent them from sticking together. Drain and set aside.
12
If storing, lightly coat the abacus seeds with a little cooking oil to prevent sticking. They can be frozen on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then transferred to a freezer bag.
13
Prepare the fried shallot oil: Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy. Strain the shallots and reserve the oil.
14
Soak dried shrimp in hot water until softened, then roughly chop. Soak wood ear mushrooms in water until rehydrated, then slice thinly. Slice shiitake mushrooms, garlic, red chili, and the white part of scallions.
15
Blanch the sliced wood ear mushrooms in boiling water for a minute to remove any raw taste, then drain.
16
Heat some of the reserved shallot oil in a wok. Add minced pork and stir-fry until the fat renders and the pork is lightly browned.
17
Add chopped dried shrimp and stir-fry until fragrant. Then add sliced garlic, white part of scallions, red chili, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms. Stir-fry until aromatic.
18
Season the stir-fry with oyster sauce and light soy sauce. Stir well to combine and coat all ingredients.
19
Add the cooked abacus seeds to the wok. Add dark soy sauce for color. Stir-fry vigorously until the abacus seeds are well coated and heated through, developing a 'wok hei' (smoky flavor).
20
Serve hot, garnished with fried shallots and chopped green scallions.