Sweet taro paste is a delicious and healthier choice for filling Chinese desserts like tang yuan and steamed buns. To make, taro is steamed and blended into a smooth and luscious paste. Since taro color can vary depending on where it is grown (most are white-fleshed, not the lavender purple you see in the bubble tea drink which has food coloring in it), a bit of mashed ube or purple yam is used to achieve a similar hue.
Ingredients Used to Make Sweet Taro Paste
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Taro - we'll need fresh taro in this recipe.
- Ube, or Ube Jam (also called Ube Halaya) - is a sweet jam made of purple yams popular in the Philippines. Since the taro I used was white fleshed, a bit of mashed ube or purple yam was used to achieve a similar hue. If you don't have Ube Jam readily available, you can also use mashed ube (from fresh or frozen) or mashed purple sweet potato.
- Coconut Oil - softened or melted, so that it can be easily incorporated into the mashed taro.
- Powdered Sugar of Choice - to sweeten the taro paste. I used powdered monk fruit sweetener which I like because it's zero calories and sugar free. Feel free to use regular powdered sugar if desired.
Here's the Step by Step Guide
How to Make Sweet Taro Paste
STEP 1
wash and peel the taro using a potato peeler
STEP 2
steam for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick can be easily inserted in the middle
STEP 3
Before the taro cools completely, mash using a potato masher or fork until no chunks remain
STEP 4
Transfer to a large bowl and add the ube jam. Add more ube jam if desired, until the desired color is achieved.
STEP 5
Add coconut oil and powdered sugar of choice
STEP 6
Knead the dough until smooth and no visible taro or ube chunks remain
Recipes Using Sweet Taro Paste
Sweet Taro Paste Filling
Ingredients
- 500 g taro fully cooked and mashed, about 2 cups mashed
- 1 Tbsp ube jam , or mashed ube. Also can use mashed purple sweet potato
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil , softened or melted
- ¼ cup powdered sugar of choice , I used powdered monk fruit sweetener
Instructions
- wash and peel the taro using a potato peeler
- steam the taro for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick can be easily inserted in the middle
- Before the taro cools completely, mash using a potato masher or fork until no chunks remain
- Transfer to a large bowl and add the ube jam. Add more ube jam if desired, until the desired color is achieved.
- Add coconut oil and powdered sugar of choice
- Knead the dough until smooth and no visible taro or ube chunks remain
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