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Learn how to make traditional Hakka abacus beads/abacus seeds (Suan Pan Zi) with a soft and slightly chewy texture that you can use for stir-fry later.
Hakka Abacus Beads / Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi)
TRADITIONAL HAKKA ABACUS SEEDS
Hakka abacus beads or some will call them abacus seed (Suan Pan Zi) to me is like the Chinese version of gnocchi. Instead of potato, it is made with taro/purple yam. Suan pan zi has a soft and slightly chewy texture and is usually stir-fry with ground meat and dried shrimp.
A LITTLE HISTORY OF SUAN PAN ZI
Most of the Chinese cuisines have interesting names. Take this taro abacus beads stir-fry for example. You’ve probably seen or heard of abacus beads before. Back in the old Chinese days, most mathematical calculation was done using abacus calculator. The Chinese calls it suan pan zi. Watching how these folks using it is really a show on its own. Pretty impressive!! To me, they are just like moving the beads up and down and I have no clue what they are doing ! absolutely no clue! ha.ha..! This is indeed a vintage calculator (No batteries required) 🙂
Suan pan zi is one of the Chinese New Year dishes prepared by older generations. Eating it for Chinese New Year means that you have more money to count the coming new year 🙂 The younger generations probably don’t make suan pan zi as much anymore for Chinese New Year. But my mom told me that suan pan zi stir-fry is sold in certain places in Singapore.
ONLY 4 INGREDIENTS TO MAKE SUAN PAN ZI DOUGH
Suan pan zi dough is made with mashed taro, tapioca flour/starch, salt, and boiling water. The only special flour you need is tapioca flour/starch, which nowadays you can easily find pretty much in mainstream grocery stores. You don’t even need to go to an Asian grocery store to do so. You can use any brand you want. I usually use this brand.
Tapioca Starch
HOW TO MAKE ABACUS BEADS (SUAN PAN ZI) FROM SCRATCH
1. Peel the taro and cut into chunks
2. Steam over high heat until they are fork-tender and can be mashed easily
3. Mash the cooked taro while they are warm
4. Add in tapioca starch and gradually add in the hot boiling water
5. When it’s cool enough to handle, knead into a smooth dough
Add more flour if it’s too sticky or more boiling water if it’s too dry
6. You should have a nice smooth non-sticky dough
7. Pinch off a small amount of dough and roll into a ball
8. Slightly flatten into a disc shape with your palm and use the end of a chopstick to create an indentation
or you can just use your thumb to create indentation. It’s up to you.
9. Now your suan pan zi is ready to be boiled
HOW TO PROPERLY COOK ABACUS BEADS
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add suan pan zi. Give it a stir to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot
2. When they float to the top, they are done cooking
3. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process
This step is crucial or the suan pan zi will continue to cook and get mushy when you stir fry them
4. Discard water and toss in a bit of oil before stir-frying
HOW TO STORE SUAN PAN ZI BEADS
To store boiled suan pan zi: If you are not going to stir fry them on the same day, cover them and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I won’t recommend any longer than that. I don’t recommend freezing them as the texture might change
To store uncooked suan pan zi: place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in one layer and put them in the freezer for about 1 hour. Then transfer to a freezer bag and they won’t stick to each other anymore. When ready to boil, do not thaw and put them in boiling water and cook until they float to the top
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SUAN PAN ZI STIR-FRY
I used ground pork, dried shrimp, wood ear mushrooms, garlic, shallots, green onion. You can really use whatever you want to suit your diet.
HOW TO STIR FRY SUAN PAN ZI
1. Soak the dried shrimp and wood ear mushrooms
The wood ear mushrooms will triple or quadrupled in size. Cut them into strips
2. Preheat a skillet or wok with oil. Add garlic and shallots and stir fry for about 30 seconds
3. Add the ground meat and dried shrimp
Stir fry until the meat turn opaque and the dried shrimp is fragrant, about 2 minutes or so
4. Add wood ear mushrooms
5. Deglaze with shao xing wine and give it a good stir
6. Add abacus beads and seasonings
7. Continue to stir fry and have a taste. Adjust seasonings to your taste
8. Add green onion stalks and bean sprouts (if using). Stir fry for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat
9. Ready to be served
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SUAN PAN ZI STIR-FRY
Storing: They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Reheating: You can reheat by stir frying again with a bit oil in a pan or reheat on the microwave or steam it again on high heat for about 5 minutes
VARIATIONS YOU CAN DO
VEGAN/VEGETARIAN VERSION: Omit the meat and dried shrimp. Use a vegan-friendly oyster sauce and vegan fish sauce. You can use extra-firm protein, beancurd slices, mushrooms
OTHER PROTEIN CHOICES: shrimp, ground turkey, ground chicken, pork slices, chicken slices, beef slices
VEGETABLE CHOICES: chopped kale, baby bokchoy, broccoli, yu choy
HOW TO SERVE SUAN PAN ZI
Suan pan zi can be served on its own like you would serve a stir-fry noodles. It’s considered a “complete” meal on its own. Suan pan zi can also be served as a part of a multi-course meal, which is pretty common in Chinese culture, especially during Chinese New Year.
Hakka Abacus Beads / Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi)
Ingredients
Taro abacus beads (makes about 400 gr uncooked suan pan zi):
- 150 gr taro peeled
- 60 gr tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 35 gr hot water you may need more, you may not
For the stir-fry:
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 100 gr ground pork
- 20 gr dried shrimp soak in warm water until soft
- 4 wood ear mushrooms soak in warm water until tripled in size and cut into strips
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts optional
- 1 stalk green onions white part only, cut into 2-inch stalks
Aromatics:
- 2 shallots peeled and finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
Seasonings:
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce or more to taste
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste or as needed
Garnish:
- Fried shallot crisp
Instructions
Making the dough:
- Cut tapioca into large chunks and steam over high heat until they are fork tender and can be easily mashed
- Mash the taro while it's still hot. Add oil, salt, tapioca starch. Gradually add in the hot water and use a spoon to stir. It won't be thoroughly mixed. When the dough is not too hot to touch anymore, use your clean hands to knead it into a dough. If it's too sticky, you can add a little bit of tapioca flour until the dough comes together into a smooth dough and no longer sticky. If it's too dry, add a bit more hot water
Shaping into abacus beads:
- Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Work with one ball at a time while keeping the rest covered, roll the ball into long log (about 1-inch in diameter). Then cut into 1- 1.5 inch pieces. Roll each piece into a smaller ball. To make the round ones, use the end of a chopstick to make an indentation in the middle of the ball. To make a dis-like abacus, lightly flatten the ball with your palm, and then use your thumb to make an indentation in the middle of the disc. Continue with the rest of the dough until you are done
Boiling the abacus beads:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add in the abacus beads and stir a little bit, so they won't stick to together. They will float to the top once they are cooked. You can fish one out and have a try, it should be soft and chewy. Remove from the heat and drain off the water. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process and to firm up the abacus beads. Toss with a little bit of oil to prevent them from sticking to each other
Stir-frying:
- Preheat about 2 Tbsp of oil in a large wok or non-stick skillet. Add in the garlic and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add dried shrimp and pork. Cook until the pork started to turn color, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add abacus beads followed by seasonings. Stir to mix everything. Make sure the abacus beads are coated with the sauce. Add green onion stalks and mung bean sprouts the last (if using) and stir fry for another 30 seconds and turn off the heat to let residual heat soften the sprouts. Have a taste and add more fish sauce if needed. Remove from the heat into a serving platter and garnish with fried shallot crisp and serve immediately
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*