Ingredients
| Abacus Beads Recipe: Serves 4 | |
|---|---|
| 500g yam or taro, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces | 150g tapioca flour |
| 300g dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked overnight and diced | 100g minced topside of beef |
| 100g minced shoulder pork | 30g dried cuttlefish, cut into thin strips |
| 30g dried shrimps or haybee, soaked for 20 minutes, drained then pounded | 3 to 5 cloves garlic |
| Salt to taste | 5 cups vegetable oil |
| Seasoning: | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | 1 teaspoon pepper |
| 1 tablespoon fish sauce (nampla) | |
Method:
- Sprinkle some salt over yam and steam for 15 minutes until soft and cooked; mash while still hot and mix with tapioca flour to form a dough.
- Make into small balls resembling abacus beads and, using thumb and finger, make a slight depression in the center of each ball.
- Boil a large pot of water and add the yam balls, stirring well to prevent them from sticking together. Remove with a strainer and coat with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Heat oil in wok and deep-fry cuttlefish for 3 to 4 minutes until crispy; drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Remove all the oil, leaving 6 tablespoons of it in the wok. Stir-fry garlic until fragrant. Add pounded dried shrimps and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms, beef, pork, and fried cuttlefish and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
- Add seasoning and fry well. Add yam balls and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Serve on their own or as part of a meal with rice.
Experience the delight of our Abacus Beads recipe—an exquisite blend of flavors and textures
It will take your taste buds on a culinary journey. This Asian-inspired dish features small, chewy balls made from yam or taro, combined with the delectable crunch of fried cuttlefish and the umami goodness of dried Chinese mushrooms. With a medley of minced beef and pork, along with the flavorful seasoning of fish sauce, salt, and pepper, each mouthful is a symphony of taste.
To prepare this Abacus Beads scrumptious dish, we start by steaming the yam or taro until tender, then mashing it while still hot. Mixing it with tapioca flour creates a smooth and pliable dough that will form the base of our abacus beads.
The dough is then shaped into small balls, resembling the ancient Chinese counting tool, abacus beads. With a gentle indentation made by thumb and finger, these beads are ready to cook.
In a large pot of boiling water, we cook the yam balls to perfection, ensuring they don’t stick together. A light coating of oil afterward further safeguards their shape and texture.
The stage is set for the next act of deliciousness—fried cuttlefish. Crispy and flavorful, these cuttlefish strips add a delightful contrast to the softness of the yam balls.
In the wok, fragrant garlic and pounded dried shrimps come together, filling the air with mouthwatering aromas. With the addition of mushrooms, minced beef, and pork, the stir-fry evolves into a symphony of tastes and textures.
Seasoned to perfection with fish sauce, salt, and pepper, the yam balls are introduced to the wok and stir-fried until all the flavors meld harmoniously.
The final act—the presentation. Savor these delightful Abacus Beads on their own as a delicious snack or include them as a star attraction in a meal, complemented by a serving of steaming rice.
Prepare to be enthralled by the enchanting flavors of our Abacus Beads—a culinary masterpiece that celebrates the artistry of Asian cuisine.
