Xuan pan zi - Abacus beads

One day as usual calling my Mom to find how about her well being. Then she told me she saw this cooking programme teaching how to make Hakka dish 'Xuan pan zi' abacus. She did tried making it for Granny and the rest to try and they all loved it. I first tried this dish was when I was in Sec school when I went to Jessica place at Tanjong Rhu to play maijong. Those days whenever free after school we will be finding people to play maijong, so carefree life man. Then there was this once when we were there, I think her family members just finished praying to the ancestor. So we were offered this delicious Hakka food, to my surprise I was impressed by the outlook of it and decided to have a go for it. It was so nice and wonder where in Singapore can I find this dish. Been searching for this for a while and finally found it at Bugis street. So every time when I went to Bugis, I will get a box of it but its so expensive and oily.

Been here for a while , really missed it a lot so when Mom mention that she knew how to make it I was really overjoyed.

Ingredients:

• 400gm    Taro (Peeled)
• 150gm     Tapioca Flour
• 200gm    Mince pork
• 50gm       Dried Shrimp (Soaked for 45mins)
• 30gm       Black Fungus (Soaked for 10-15mins)
• 6-8         Shiitake mushroom (Soaked for 45mins)
• 1Tbsp      Garlic (Chopped finely)
• 2Tbsp     Oil
• 1Tsp        Dark Soy Sauce
• 3Tsp       White pepper

Methods:

1. Sliced up all the soaked ingredients.
2. Steamed the taro for 30-40mins.
3. Mashed it whilst still hot till a smooth paste.
4. Slowly add the tapioca flour and knead it into a dough.
5. Rolled it into a long dough, cut it up into even small size.
6. Roll each into a small ball and depress in the middle.
7. Bring a pot of water to boil and drop each beads into it.
8. Beads are ready once it float to the surface.
9. Get ready a bowl of cold water
10. Scoped it up and drain well. 
11. Pour into the bowl of cold water for 3-5mins so that will get the chewy texture.
12. Heat up the pan with oil and fry the garlic.
13. Add in the mince pork and mushroom.
14. Fry for 5mins or till the mince are cooked
15. Then add in the dark sauce and pepper.
16. Mixture well and add in the beads.
17. Fry for another 5mins and serve when hot.