How to Make Colorful and Irresistibly Delicious Chewy Sweet Potato Dessert
Learn how to make chewy sweet potato dessert using sweet potatoes and tapioca starch at home. On a cool afternoon, enjoying a bowl of this colorful, fragrant, and mildly sweet dessert with friends is truly delightful.
Ingredients
- 600g sweet potatoes (purple, yellow, white, etc.)
- 220g tapioca starch
- White sugar
- 1 pandan leaf
- 1.5 liters coconut water
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Grass jelly powder or agar powder for making jelly (optional)
Ingredient Notes
You can simply use purple and yellow sweet potatoes. White sweet potatoes are not as tasty as the other two types. See: Types of Sweet Potatoes.
Instructions
Steam the Sweet Potatoes
Peel the sweet potatoes, wash them thoroughly, and cut them into chunks. Steam the sweet potatoes by placing them in a steamer basket over a pot with a little water, keeping the heat low. Cover the pot and steam for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, transfer each type to separate bowls to avoid mixing colors. Use a spoon to mash the sweet potatoes until smooth.
After mashing, divide 180g of tapioca starch evenly among the bowls of sweet potatoes and knead the mixture as you would knead dough, until it becomes smooth and pliable. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a little water to help with the kneading.
Once the sweet potato and tapioca starch mixture is ready, shape it into small round balls or cut it into squares, then let it rest for about 5-10 minutes.
Boil the Sweet Potato Balls
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the sweet potato balls. If you prefer, you can boil each color separately. The sweet potato balls are done when they float to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them directly into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
Cook the Chewy Sweet Potato Dessert
Pour 1.5 liters of coconut water into a pot, add white sugar, adjusting the amount to your preferred sweetness.
Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the pandan leaf for fragrance.
When the coconut water comes to a boil, remove the sweet potato balls from the cold water and add them to the pot.
Mix the remaining 30g of tapioca starch with a little water, and when the dessert mixture comes back to a boil, drizzle the starch mixture into the pot to thicken it. If you prefer a thicker dessert, you can increase the amount of tapioca starch.
Final Product Requirements
This dessert can be enjoyed either hot or cold. Add a bit of freshly grated coconut and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor and crunch.
Tips & Notes
- Making chewy sweet potato dessert is not difficult, but it can be a bit time-consuming and requires some attention to detail.
- The key step is kneading the sweet potatoes with tapioca starch. If you prefer a chewier texture, add a bit more tapioca starch. If there isn’t enough starch, the sweet potato balls won't hold together and may become crumbly when eaten, reducing the overall enjoyment.
- Avoid selecting old sweet potatoes, as they tend to be fibrous and may have a gritty texture when eaten.
Related article: How to Knead Tapioca Starch
Cookbeo has shared how to make colorful chewy sweet potato dessert, and we hope you’ll succeed with this recipe. Don't forget to visit Cookbeo.com regularly for more delicious recipes!
