Hakka Yam Abacus 客家算盘子, and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival !

Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, is a day for family reunion. Thus I would like to present this Hakka Yam Abacus to you as round yam abacus also represent reunion 团圆 and bring good prosperity especially for Hakka Chinese peoples who must have this dish during Chinese New Year.

Don't know since when, my mother started to cook yam abacus during CNY as she said abacus is a Chinese calculator, like non stop counting money, LOL. Anyway, her version is Hokkien version, which look black as you know Hokkien dishes always like to season with dark caramel soy sauce for the dish to look black (that means it will taste Ho Chiak )

But I did not cook Hokkien way this time, I followed Hakka way, I got it inspired from this article I read in a Chinese newspaper.



The other day, my sister brought to me a good home grown yam from her in law house. I immediately use it to cook this Hakka Yam Abacus. I prefer more yam taste, so you can see my recipe is using less flour.

I can't find the Hakka type of yellow firm tofu from the market, thus I replaced with this five spices tofu.

Hakka Yam Abacus 客家算盘子

(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*serves 5

For yam abacus

600g yam, cubed
100g tapioca flour
100g hot water

Method

1. Steam the yam till soft, mash finely while hot.
2. While yam still hot, add in tapioca flour and water, and knead till a pliable dough ( difference type of yam has difference texture, please adjust water and flour accordingly).
3. Roll into long log and cut into small chunks.
4. Roll the chunks in between your palms and roll round into balls.
5. Use your index finger to make a indentation in the middle.
6. Bring a pot of water to rolling boil. Drop in yam abacus balls and cook till it floats.
7. Drain away hot water and rinse with cold tap water. Drizzle over some cooking oil to coat it evenly. Set aside.
8. If you are not intend to use it immediately, put into a zip lock bag and store in the freezer.

To stir fry Hakka Yam Abacus

1 quantity of above ready yam abacus (~900g)

1 five-spices tofu, sliced
15g dried shredded squid, soak in hot water for 30mins
3pcs dried black fungus (wood-ear mushroom), soaked and sliced
30g dried shrimps (Hae bi), soak for 5mins and chopped
150g minced meat
4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red chili, julienned

2 spring onions, chopped

1tbsp light soy sauce

1tsp salt or to taste
1tsp sugar or to taste
Pepper

Method

1. Heat cooking oil in a wok, sauté garlic till aroma.
2. Add in dried shrimps and stir fry till aroma.
3. Add in minced meat, cook till color changed
4. Add in tofu, squids, black fungus, cook till mix well.
5. Add in yam abacus and seasonings, add extra water if necessary. Cook till mix well.
6. Garnish with red chili and spring onion, serve warm.

This year, I made mooncakes using this special golden syrup for making mooncake.

Also bought a new mooncake mould , still using the old recipe here

I use the leftover lotus paste to shape few bear bear mooncake ^_^ . Skin recipe using old recipe here, add charcoal powder into dough for eyes and nose. 1tsp spoon to shape nose area, and use toothpick to shape the mouth and ear.

I wishing all have a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節快樂 !!