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:
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
- 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.
