Would you eat fatty frog tissue to look younger?

Misconceptions abound

When I first tried hasma, at an award-winning Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong, it was described to me as the fallopian tubes of the rare snow frog.

First misconception: the frog. Hasma is typically harvested from the Asiatic grass frog and not a rare snow frog. A common myth cemented through naming, word of mouth and the ingredients alternate naming, snow jelly. “The Chinese name is, literally, snow frog,” says Kwan Man Wong, executive chef, Old Bailey in Hong Kong. Perhaps this misconception is also history driven, with emperors partaking in many rare ingredients. Now, though, it comes from farmed stock, with frogs especially bred for both culinary and medicinal purpose. The other main misconception is what it is one actually eats. It is not fallopian tubes, or more correctly oviducts, but is the fat surrounding or near the oviducts that is eaten.

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Harvested once a year, the frog is first partially sun-dried; once ready the hasma is removed and further sun dried. Like bird’s nest, it needs to be soaked before it can be used for culinary purposes. As it can only be hand-harvested, it is expensive – although not much is needed; it swells considerably as it soaks from dry to wet.

Textural appreciation

There are numerous ingredients in the Chinese pantry that are greatly appreciated for the textural qualities they bring to a dish, including hasma. It is an ingredient that has authors and chefs highlighting and praising this textural quality.

Noted author and Chinese cuisine expert Fuchsia Dunlop chose to serve it at a dinner party to impress. As she wrote in a piece for FT Magazine, “Chinese hosts like to honour and amaze their guests with rare and wonderful ingredients.”

In another article Dunlop described it as, “Clouds of translucent, slithery, gelatinous matter, with a gorgeous, voluptuous, slithery, soft mouth feel.”

Wong says: “Once cooked it’s a bit sticky and chewy. It mainly adds texture to a dish. A lot of people also add it for its luxurious feel and health benefits.” To describe it, Kelvin Au Yeung, executive chef, Jade Dragon, Macau, looks to comparable ingredients. “It is smooth and soft, similar to peach resin.”

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Prepared hasma can be hard to find locally and Yeung points to the technical challenges of preparing perfectly. “It is difficult to get the best texture out of it. Either cooking too long or too short would result in a poor texture, either too mushy or too hard.”

Sweet and healthy

Hasma features predominantly in desserts. Often prepared as part of a cold sweet soup that will include other ingredient pairs – pear and red date, and rock sugar and dried fruit, for example. It can also be prepared as a sweet cold drink, which is a popular option in Singapore. While Wong does not include it on Old Bailey’s menu, he said if he did it would be as double boiled hasma with papaya. “A traditional sweet soup in a Cantonese style and a common way to cook the ingredient.”

Many describe the ingredient as lacking in any distinct flavour, but perhaps you need the trained palate of a master chef. “Hasma has a very light flavour. Normally, it should be cooked with other ingredients [which also have a] subtle flavour, a reason why it is frequently used in sweet soups,” says Yeung.

Also, as with bird’s nest, the main reason for consuming hasma is for its claimed health benefits. Belief in its healing powers dates back to at least the 16th century, supported by documents written by noted herbalists of the time. It is said that because of the collagen and amino acids, metabolism improves, resulting in improved skin and a youthful appearance.

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Other claims are that hasma helps to balance hormones, boost energy levels, reduce swelling, counteract listlessness and heart palpitations, and improve respiratory issues. Yeung says: “Hasma as part of food therapy has a long history in China; it is a precious ingredient with medicinal value.” In general terms, he added, it is considered as having the function of “nourishing and moisturising”.

Wong adds: “According to traditional Chinese medicine, it was regarded as a valuable medicine for emperors in ancient times. It is said to be good for skin for ladies, and good for kidneys for men.” While Wong is not a fan, citing the lack of a sweet tooth, Yeung says he would order it for professional reasons. “As a chef, I always like to taste all kinds of ingredients.”

Where are Singapore noodles from? How are century eggs made? Are French fries improperly named? And what’s the final verdict on where tikka masala was created? With the Origins series, STYLE delves into the often surprising beginnings of iconic dishes or foods, how they’ve evolved over time and the many ways they’re enjoyed today.

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