Hasma (harsmar,hashima) is a Chinese and widely Central Asian dessert ingredient made from the dried fatty tissue found near the fallopian tubes of true frogs,typically the Asiatic grass frog (Rana chensinensis). Because of its whitish appearance,hasma is often called "snow frog fat".[1] Hasma is relatively expensive,so it is reserved for special occasions and in high-end restaurants.
Hasma is sold dried as irregular flat pieces and flakes ranging from 1–2cm in length and 1–5mm in thickness. Individual pieces are yellowish-white in color with a matte luster,and may be covered with off-white pellicles. When rehydrated,dried hasma can expand up to 10-15 times in size.
The dried hasma is rehydrated and double-boiled with rock sugar to create a glutinous texture and opaque color. Dried or rehydrated hasma has a slight fishy smell. In its unflavored form it is sweet and slightly savory in taste with a texture that is glutinous,chewy,and light,quite similar to that of tapioca in a dessert.
Hasma serves the role of providing texture to tong sui,or sweet soups,as well as increasing the perceived luxuriousness and prestige of the soup. These soups are usually flavored with rock sugar. For the uninitiated,this relatively accessible eating experience belies the exotic sounding nature of the dessert. Hasma is widely featured in dessert dishes in high class restaurants in Hong Kong.
Hasma is most commonly paired in sweet soups with:
Hasma can also be included in more exotic versions of shark fin soup.
Health claims
Hasma is taken for medicinal purposes in traditional Chinese medicine. Hasma is prescribed to treat respiratory symptoms,but there exists scarce scientific research to support this practice.[1] It is also a suggested remedy for stomach ulcers and to improve the appearance of skin,and even for restored strength after childbirth.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
