Sacoo-Sai-Mou (Tapioca pearls with minced pork stuff)

SACOO-SAI-MOO or Tapioca pearls with minced pork stuff. This is street food in Thailand this savory appetizer differs from the usual sweet preparation of tapioca. Convenient for a cocktail party or family holiday gathering, sakoo sai moo freezes well before cooking.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups (8oz) pearl tapioca
• ¾ cup hot water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp. white pepper
• 3-5 pieces of fresh cilantro 
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 8 oz. lean pork 
• 1 tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. fish sauce 
• 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh hot chiles 
• 3 tbsp. crushed roasted peanuts 
• tapioca flour (this is critical to the success of this recipe!)
• 2 tsp. fried garlic (available already prepared or prepare your own)
• Crushed roasted peanuts
• Sliced red chillies and fresh cilantro

COOKING:

• Rinse pearl tapioca in a fine strainer, drain and transfer to a bowl.
• Dissolve salt in hot water and gradually add to the tapioca, mixing well.
• Cover and leave for 1 hour.
• Mince the pork with a sharp cleaver until fine, almost like hamburger.
• Alternatively you may buy ground pork but it must be lean or else your "Sakoo" will be too oily,
• In a heavy mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder grind together the white peppercorns and cilantro root or stems until pulverized completely.
• Heat the oil in a wok over medium.
• Cook onion until soft.
• Stir in palm sugar and pepper-coriander paste.
• Remove from heat.
• In a small bowl mix together the pork and cooked onion with sugar and pepper paste.
• Add 3 tbsp.fish sauce.
• Add in the fresh chiles and crushed peanuts.
• Mix well. (Crush the peanuts in a mortar and pestle or cut up with a sharp cleaver)
• To shape the balls: Using your fingers roll the pearl tapioca into 1 inch balls with damp hands.
• Cover with a damp cloth.
• Wash and dry your hands and dust them with tapioca flour.
• Press thumb or finger into each ball to form a cup shape.
• Put in a teaspoon of pork mixture and seal the tapioca over the filling.
• Mold into balls again and cover with damp cloth until ready to cook. (If all are not required immediately, pack some in a freezer container and freeze, ready to steam when needed.)
• Place the balls on oiled parchment paper in a steamer or banana leaf, leaving 1/2 inch between each.
• Steam over fast boiling water until the tapioca is quite clear, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the steamer from the heat and leave for 5 minutes for the balls to dry slightly before transferring to a serving dish.
• Sprinkle with crushed fried garlic or crushed roasted peanuts and garnish with chilli slices.
• Serve warm with lettuce, coriander and bird's-eye chillies.

Note: that the filling must be strongly seasoned to stand up to the coating of bland tapioca.