The perfect summer dessert – chewy balls, just like the ones you see at night markets. It’s refreshing, made with natural ingredients, and you can customize it however you want!
This was inspired by the taro balls I used to always get at this place called, “Meet Fresh”. I was always so happy whenever I got a big bowl of these because they were so chewy and came in so many different variations.
I decided to make my own because I can make them in bulk and freeze them for later use. Whenever I’m craving for these, I can simply take them out of the freezer, cook it and enjoy them fresh.
I decided to go with the classics and serve it with grass jelly, taro paste, taro balls, sweet potato balls, purple yam balls, and finish it off with a huge drizzle of condensed milk. You can customize it however you want by adding toppings such as red bean, ice cream, jelly – the variations are endless!
If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
Taiwanese Taro & Sweet Potato Balls Dessert
Ingredients
Taro Balls
- 100 g taro
- 55 g tapioca starch, plus more
- 35 g hot water
- 20 g sugar
Sweet Potato Balls
- 100 g sweet potato
- 55 g tapioca starch, plus more
- 35 g hot water
- 20 g sugar
Purple Yam Balls
- 100 g purple yam
- 55 g tapioca starch, plus more
- 35 g hot water
- 20 g sugar
Instructions
- Peel and chop the taro, purple yam, and sweet potato in small chunks. Steam for 25-30 minutes, or until soft and you can poke it through with a toothpick. Make sure to steam them separately to prevent any colour transfer.
- Work with one at a time. For each one, mash until smooth.
- Add in the tapioca starch and mix with a fork. Form a small volcano and add hot water on the top and let it sit for 30 seconds (this step is crucial in order to make the balls chewy!) Mix with a fork until the water has been absorbed, then form into a dough and knead with your hands for a few minutes.
- Roll out into logs and cut into bite-sized pieces. Form into balls that look *smooth*.
- Place the balls in a bowl of tapioca starch and sieve out all the excess. If you want to save these for later use, you can freeze them in freezer bags now (see note).
To Cook
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once it boils, add in the taro balls FIRST. Work with one flavour at a time. When they float, let it cook for 2-3 more minutes, and then immediately place it in an ice bath. Repeat for the sweet potato balls second, and the purple yam balls LAST (to prevent colour transfer from the water).
- Drain and place in separate bowls and mix with sugar. They are now ready to eat.
- For the real complete package, add grass jelly to a bowl, and then taro paste, taro balls, sweet potato balls, and purple yam balls. Drizzle with condensed milk and mix everything together. Enjoy!
Notes
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