Bubur cha cha is a coconut milk-based dessert made of winter vegetables that is popular in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Vietname, and the Philippines, where it is often sold as a street food. Common ingredients include tapioca pearls, sweet potato, purple yam, banana, and black-eyed peas. Served both warm or chilled, bubur cha cha also is enjoyed as a breakfast dish. Immigrants from Asia brought the recipe to America.
Recipe Servings: 4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- ½ lb purple yam, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 small taro, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp tapioca pearls
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 pandan leaves (screwpine), shredded and knotted
- 1 large firm banana, peeled and cut at a diagonal into ¼-inch thick slices
- ¼ cup canned black-eyed peas
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
- ¼ tsp salt
Directions
- Steam purple yam, taro, and sweet potato for 5 minutes.
- Boil tapioca pearls for 7–8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch.
- Combine the water, sugar, and knotted pandan leaves in a medium-size pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the steamed purple yam, taro, sweet potato, tapioca pearls, banana, black-eyed peas, coconut milk, and salt.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes.
- Ladle into small individual bowls and serve warm.
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