Taro Balls Recipe

Taro balls are a delightful and chewy treat that can be enjoyed in various desserts. Making them from scratch is surprisingly simple, and the result is a wonderfully textured dessert that’s sure to impress your family and friends. I’ll also share how to cook the taro balls!

What are taro balls

Taiwan is famous for its delicious cuisine, such as braised pork rice (lu rou fan), bubble tea, oyster omelettes, and of course, taro balls, which are also quite popular in mainland China.

Taro balls are made from taro, often mixed with sweet potatoes or other starches.

They are typically shaped into small, chewy balls and can be served in a sweet syrup, in dessert soups, or with toppings like sweetened coconut milk or fruit.

I’m not sure why they’re called taro balls instead of sweet potato balls, since sweet potatoes are included too.

I make three types of balls, each a different color, known as Three-Color Taro Balls. However, you can easily make just one type for convenience or if you can’t find some ingredients.

The method for making all three types is the same, so I’ll just show you how to make the purple sweet potato balls.

Tips for a Crack-Free Dough

In this recipe, I take a portion of the dough—about one-third—and drop it into boiling water for two minutes. The boiled dough gets really sticky.

While it’s still warm, I mix it back into the original dough, which helps prevent the taro balls from cracking. I often use this technique for making tang yuan too!

Ingredients:

• 500g sweet potato
• 500g purple sweet potato
• 500g taro
• 240g granulated sugar, divided into three equal portions
• 600g tapioca starch, divided into three equal portions

Instructions:

Prepare the Ingredients:

• Peel the sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and taro. Cut them into evenly thick slices to ensure they steam evenly.

Steam the Ingredients:

• Place the sliced sweet potatoes and taro in a steamer. Cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to medium heat and steam for 15-20 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a chopstick; if it goes in easily, the ingredients are ready.

Make the Taro Balls Dough:

• Purple Sweet Potato Purée:

Once cooked, transfer the sweet potato to a large bowl while it’s still hot. Add 80g of granulated sugar and mash until smooth.

Gradually mix 200g of tapioca starch until dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a bit of hot water; if too wet, add more tapioca starch.

• Sweet Potato Purée:

Repeat the same steps using the cooked purple sweet potato.

• Taro Purée:

Follow the same process with the cooked taro.

Prevent Cracking:

• Take 1/3 of each dough (sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and taro) and roll them into flat discs.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently add the flat discs. Boil for 2 minutes. They will float and become smoother as they cook.
• After 2 minutes, remove the flat discs and return them to their respective doughs. Knead the flat discs into the dough until well combined. This step helps prevent cracking during the next stages.

Shape and finish making taro balls:

• Place the sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and taro dough on a work surface, sprinkling some tapioca starch to prevent sticking.
• Roll each dough into long strips, about 1-1.5 cm in diameter.
• Cut the strips into small pieces, each about 1-1.5 cm long. This size ensures they cook evenly and have a great texture. Dust with tapioca starch to prevent sticking.

Cook the Taro Balls:

• In a pot, bring enough water to a boil and add the taro balls.
• Cook until the balls float to the surface, indicating they are cooked through.
• Remove the floating balls and place them in a bowl of cold water to enhance their chewy texture.

Notes:

• Monitor the steaming time carefully to ensure the ingredients are cooked but not overly soft.
• Adjust the amounts of sugar and tapioca starch according to the moisture content of the ingredients and personal taste.
• Frozen taro balls can be cooked directly from the freezer without thawing; simply add them to boiling water.
  

  Taro Balls Recipe

  Taro balls are a delightful and chewy treat that can be enjoyed in various desserts. Making them from scratch is surprisingly simple, and the result is a wonderfully textured dessert that's sure to impress your family and friends.

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  Course: Chinese Dessert Soup

  Cuisine: Chinese

  Prep Time: 30 minutes

  Cook Time: 30 minutes

  Servings: 10

  Calories: 395kcal

  Ingredients

  • 500 g sweet potato
  • 500 g purple sweet potato
  • 500 g taro
  • 240 g granulated sugar divided into three equal portions
  • 600 g tapioca starch divided into three equal portions

  Instructions

  Prepare the Ingredients:

  • Peel the sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and taro. Cut them into evenly thick slices to ensure they steam evenly.

  Steam the Ingredients:

  • Place the sliced sweet potatoes and taro in a steamer. Cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to medium heat and steam for 15-20 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a chopstick; if it goes in easily, the ingredients are ready.

  Make the Taro Balls Dough:

  • Purple Sweet Potato Purée:
  • Once cooked, transfer the sweet potato to a large bowl while it's still hot. Add 80g of granulated sugar and mash until smooth.
  • Gradually mix in 200g of tapioca starch until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a bit of hot water; if too wet, add more tapioca starch.
  • Sweet Potato Purée:
  • Repeat the same steps using the cooked purple sweet potato.
  • Taro Purée:
  • Follow the same process with the cooked taro.

  Prevent Cracking:

  • Take 1/3 of each dough (sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and taro) and roll them into flat discs.
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently add the flat discs. Boil for 2 minutes. They will float and become smoother as they cook.
  • After 2 minutes, remove the flat discs and return them to their respective doughs. Knead the flat discs into the dough until well combined. This step helps prevent cracking during the next stages.

  Shape and fish making taro balls:

  • Place the sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and taro dough on a work surface, sprinkling some tapioca starch to prevent sticking.
  • Roll each dough into long strips, about 1-1.5 cm in diameter.
  • Cut the strips into small pieces, each about 1-1.5 cm long. This size ensures they cook evenly and have a great texture. Dust with tapioca starch to prevent sticking.

  Cook the Taro Balls:

  • In a pot, bring enough water to a boil and add the taro balls.
  • Cook until the balls float to the surface, indicating they are cooked through.
  • Remove the floating balls and place them in a bowl of cold water to enhance their chewy texture.

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  Nutrition

  Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 7132IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg