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Festive Yam Abacus Seeds 算盘子

by Angie Liew

Yam abacus seeds (算盘子) or yam gnocchi is an auspicious dish that is popularly served during the lunar new year as the ROUND yam abacus represent reunion and signifies wealth and prosperity. It is made of yam and tapioca flour. When cooked, these yam abacus seeds are soft on the outside, chewy on the inside and full of strong yam aroma. It is a savoury dish that can be served as a main meal or even on its own, as a snack.

 

Festive Yam Abacus Seeds 算盘子

Festive Yam Abacus Seeds 算盘子

 

Festive Yam Abacus Seeds 算盘子

Recipe by Huang Kitchen, Angie Liew
An auspicious dish that is popularly served during the lunar new year as the ROUND yam abacus represent reunion and signifies wealth and prosperity. These yam abacus seeds are soft on the outside, chewy on the inside and full of strong yam aroma.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Tap or Hover to Adjust Servings

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients
 

Yam Abacus Seeds

  • 650 g Yam (Taro), Buy 1 kg yam
  • 200 g Tapioca flour
  • 120 g hot water
  • tsp salt

To Stir Fry Yam Abacus

  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 5 shallots, minced
  • 40 g dried shrimps, soaked in water, minced
  • 15 g dried cuttlefish, cut into thin strips
  • 30 g shitake mushrooms, soaked and cut into stripes
  • 30 g large black fungus, soaked and cut into strips
  • 200 g meat, minced
  • 1 tbsp preserved radish (cai pu)
  • 6 tbsp Cooking Oil

Seasoning

  • 1 tsp salt, to taste
  • 1 tsp white pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce, to taste
  • 1 tsp fish sauce, to taste
  • 1 tsp Oyster Sauce

Garnishing

  • 2 red chillies, cut in halves, then into pieces
  • 1 stalk spring onion, diced
  • 2 stalks coriander leaves, cut into big pieces

    Instructions
     

    To make yam abacus

    • Peel and cut yam into slices.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Steam the yam till very soft and cooked, about 30 minutes. If using a wok to steam, be sure to boil the water first before steaming the yam.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Check for doneness with a chopstick, if able to poke through the yam, then its cooked.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      At the meantime prepare ingredients needed to make the yam abacus seeds which are tapioca flour, cooking oil, salt and hot boiling water.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Once the yam is cooked, quickly transfer it to a stand mixing bowl with a K hook attached.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Using the lowest speed, mix until the hot steamed yam has been mashed.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Add in tapioca flour.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Then add in salt.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      And the cooking oil.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Lastly add in the hot boiling water a little at a time.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Mix till the dough comes together.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Then change to the dough hook, using the lowest speed, continue to mix for about 10 minutes or until you get a pliable dough. Alternatively, you can mash the hot steamed yam and knead the dough by hand.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Roll the yam dough into long logs and cut into small even pieces, about 5g each ( or your desired size).
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Roll each piece in between your palms to form round balls. Use your index finger to make a slight depression in the centre to make it looks like an abacus seed.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Continue with the rest of the dough. Try to make the seeds evenly sized so that they can be evenly cooked.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Then boil a large pot of water.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Add in the yam seeds in batches, stirring well to prevent them from sticking together.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Boil for about 15 minutes or until the yam seeds float to the surface of the water.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Remove the yam seeds from the boiling water using a strainer.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Immediately rinsed them in cold water for about 5 seconds. This process helps to firm up the abacus seeds.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Drained the water and then drizzle cooking oil to coat the abacus seeds evenly to prevent them from sticking together.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Set aside while you prepare the ingredients to stir fry them. If you don't intend to use them immediately, you can put them in a zip lock bag and put in the freezer.

    To stir fry Yam Abacus

    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      To stir fry the yam abacus, first prepare the ingredients needed.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Then heat up some oil in a wok.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Saute minced garlic and shallots till fragrant.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Add in dried shrimp and strips of cuttlefish. Continue to stir fry until they are really fragrant and brown. Add in more oil if needed.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Next add in the strips of mushrooms and preserved radish.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Then add in the strips of black fungus. Fry for about 2 minutes.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Next add in the minced meat and fry for about 5 minutes or until the meat is cooked.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Lastly add in the yam seeds and stir fry gently to combine, about 2 minutes.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Add in oyster sauce ( mix with some mushroom water ).
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Then the rest of the seasonings, to taste.
    • Festive Yam Abacus Seeds
      Add the chopped coriander and red chilli. Stir through another minute. Taste and add more seasonings, if needed.
    • And we're done! To serve, dish the yam seeds in a shallow serving plate and garnish with chopped spring onions, remaining of the red chilli and coriander leaves.

Enjoy!

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Notes

To make yam abacus, ratio of yam and flour is recommended to be 3:1 (i.e. 3 parts yam to 1 part flour) for more yam flavour.
To make yam abacus in advance, freeze them in ziplock bag after mixed well with oil.
Make the yam abacus seeds in the same size so that they will be evenly cooked.
Keyword: Festive Food

Enjoy!

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Leave a Comment

If you like this recipe, rate 5 stars




3 comments

Jacqie June 20, 2021 - 10:36 am

5 stars
The recipe turns out really well!! Love the extra yam flavour and texture on the abascus

Thanks for sharing

Reply
Lene June 20, 2020 - 9:29 am

Hi. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I noticed that you did not put in measurement for oil under the section ‘ingredients’, Sub-section ‘yam abacus seeds’.
Looking forward to your advice.
Thank you.

Reply
Angie Liew June 27, 2020 - 12:16 am

Sorry, I use 3 tbsp cooking oil to stir fry the yam abacus seeds. Thanks for the notice.

Reply
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