Pumpkin Abacus Seeds

Finally move my lazy butt to make some pumpkin abacus seeds! Simply love the colour combination of the pumpkin and yam abacus seeds! P.S. The yam abacus are blessed by my sister-in-law after my hands-on session of making abacus seeds with her. Homemade abacus seeds freeze very well. To freeze the dough, after rolling them into small beads, lay them in a single layer on a individual plastic sheet. Cover and freeze till hard, after which you can pack them all into a large ziplog bag. To cook, just bring a pot of water to rolling bowl and put in the frozen beads, DO NOT THAW!

If you know dried shrimp and dried cuttlefish are usually added in the traditional Hakka yam abacus seeds. Today I omitted both of the ingredients from my dish and replace with dried white baits!  No fix rule on what ingredients you should omit/add as long as it suit your own palate! Check out my other recipes like the traditional Hakka Yam Abacus Seeds and unique Chinese Yam Abacus Seeds!

Ingredient

• 300gm pumpkin puree
• 250gm tapioca flour
• 50gm rice flour
• 1 tbsp oil

• 2 garlic, minced
• 3 shallots, minced
• 15gm dried white baits, rinsed
• 30gm dried shiitake mushroom, soaked & sliced
• 10gm black fungus, soaked and sliced
• 150gm minced pork (lightly marinate with 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp light soy sauce, dash of pepper, cornflour)

Seasoning

• 2 tsp chicken seasoning powder
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 2 tbsp Chinese wine
• 100ml water

Method

1. Combine flour in a mixing bowl. Steam pumpkin till soften and mash. Add in mashed pumpkin into flour mixture while its still hot. Add in oil and gather the mixture together with a fork till a rough dough is formed. Knead the dough till soft and pliable. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel. Rest the dough for 30 mins. 
2. Pinch a small portion of dough approx. 5-8gm, roll round and make a indention to resemble abacas. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in pumpkin abacus seeds (note: I used a mixture of 500gm yam  pumpkin abacus seeds. Balance uncooked portion can be freeze) and cook till they floated to the surface. Drain well and place them into a bowl. Drizzle in some oil and toss gently.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Add in white baits and mushroom and fry till lightly brown. Add in garlic and shallots saute till fragrant.
4. Add in marinated minced pork, use the spatula to break up the pork and fry till pork is browned. Toss in softened black fungus and mix well.
5. Add in pumpkin/yam abacus seeds. Drizzle in seasoning gradually and toss to mix well till mixture are heated through. Dish up and serve.