Name: Abacus Beads
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 75 ml/5 tbsp water; 300 g/11 oz yam or taro; 15 ml/1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch or tapioca flour; 50 g/2 oz/½ cup rice flour; 2.5 ml/½ tsp salt; 30 ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil; 200 g/7 oz raw prawns/shrimp, peeled; 1 Chinese leafy celery stick, roughly chopped; 4 garlic cloves, sliced; 30 ml/2 tbsp light soy sauce; 5 ml/1 tsp ground black pepper; 30 ml/2 tbsp sesame oil; 5 ml/1 tsp sugar; rice, to serve; 90 ml/6 tbsp water

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

China

By Terry Tan

Published 2020

About

Most people are familiar with the abacus, the ancient Chinese counting instrument consisting of a wire-strung frame on which beads are threaded. Many Chinese storekeepers still prefer the abacus to the calculator and use one with great dexterity. In a cultural context, the abacus, and this dish, symbolizes prosperity. Hakka people traditionally serve it at Lunar New Year celebrations to bring good fortune for the year ahead. The abacus beads are represented by large discs of boiled yam or t