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Loading...A beloved Hong Kong street dessert featuring chewy, bouncy purple taro balls floating in a fragrant ginger-infused rock sugar syrup. Served warm with classic toppings like grass jelly, red beans, and creamy coconut milk, it is comfort in a bowl.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time55 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 5 gFat
- 2 gSaturated Fat
- 82 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 38 gSugar
- 3 gProtein
- 35 mgSodium
- 480 mgPotassium
- 60 mgCalcium
- 1.5 mgIron
- 5 mgVitamin C
- 25 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the taro dough
- 500 g fresh taro root (about 1 medium taro)
- 140 g tapioca starch
- 30 g caster sugar
- 3 tbsp hot water
For the ginger rock sugar syrup
- 180 g rock sugar (or 150 g brown sugar)
- 600 ml water
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 1 pandan leaf, tied into a knot (optional)
For serving and toppings
- 150 g canned sweetened red beans, drained
- 100 g grass jelly, diced
- 80 ml coconut milk
- 2 tbsp toasted crushed peanuts
Directions
- Peel the taro root and cut into 1 cm slices. Steam over boiling water for 18-20 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a fork.
- Transfer the hot taro to a bowl and mash until smooth with no lumps. Add the caster sugar and stir until dissolved, then mix in the tapioca starch and hot water gradually to form a pliable dough.
- Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Roll into a 2 cm thick log and cut into small 1.5 cm pieces, rolling each piece between your palms to form balls. You should get about 40-50 balls.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop the taro balls in batches and cook for 6-8 minutes; they are ready when they float to the surface and look slightly translucent. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice water bath for 1 minute to lock in the chew, then drain.
- Meanwhile, make the syrup: combine rock sugar, water, ginger slices, and pandan leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 8 minutes until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid is lightly fragrant.
- Divide the cooked taro balls among four serving bowls. Pour the warm ginger syrup over them, then top each bowl with a spoonful of red beans, diced grass jelly, a drizzle of coconut milk, and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts.
- Serve immediately while warm and chewy. Encourage diners to stir gently before eating so the coconut milk ribbons through the syrup.
Cook’s Notes
- Use purple-skinned taro for the best natural violet color and sweetest, nuttiest flavor; substitute half with orange sweet potato for color contrast.
- Dust your hands and work surface with extra tapioca starch when shaping to prevent sticking; the dough should feel like soft Play-Doh.
- Always shock the cooked taro balls in ice water to halt cooking and create that signature QQ bouncy texture Hong Kong desserts are known for.
- Make the balls ahead and freeze them raw on a tray, then bag and store; boil directly from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
- Skip the ginger if you prefer a cleaner sweet flavor, or swap rock sugar for yellow rock sugar (yellow slab sugar) for a deeper caramel note.
