Sweet Potato Balls with Chin Chow & Green Bean Soup

Do you love desserts? I do! Hot or cold, just give them to me hehe!  I cook desserts once in a while during weekends when we are going no where or when my family are over at my place for a mini gathering.

I came across Table for 2..... or More's taro balls recipe and did them soon after. I tried making the sweet potato balls instead of taro as I just wanted to try it out.  It was yummy.  I paired these chewy balls with a bowl of green bean soup, and another serving over some store bought chin chow. Both were yummy. I had them on different days la! Hehe~

One cold, one warm. Different pairing. I love them all.

I will try making taro balls another time :)


Sweet Potato Balls
Recipe by Table For 2..... or More

60g sweet potatoes (peeled, any choice of colours) - I used Japanese purple sweet potatoes
15g tapioca starch
1 tsp potato starch
2 tsp sugar
Water as needed

Taro balls
Recipe by Table For 2..... or More

80g taro, peeled
20g tapioca starch
5g potato starch
1 tbsp sugar
Water as needed

1. Steam taro and sweet potatoes until cooked. Turn off the heat, and keep the potatoes in your steamer so they stay warm.
2. Mix taro and tapioca starch and break it up by rubbing.  It could be quite hot.
3. Add in sugar and if a dough cannot form, add in water little  by little.  If you accidentally add in too much water, zap it in the microwave for 20sec, it will partially cook the starch and make the dough firmer.
4. Knead the dough until smooth, while it is still warm, roll it into a thin log, and cut into your preferred size.

5. Repeat Step 2-4 with other sweet potatoes.
6. To cook, bring a pot of water to boil.  Put in the small balls and cook until it floats.  After it floats, let it cook for another minute.

7. Prepare a big bowl of ice water.  Ladle and strain the cooked dough balls, and dunk them into the ice water.
8. Serve with syrup of choice / chin chow.  (I served it in 2 different servings - one with ready-bought chin chow & another with green bean)

Note: If you made too much of the taro or sweet potato balls, you may freeze the uncook cubed balls for up to 2 weeks. Bring them out from freezer and cook in boiling water like in Step 6.


Green Bean Soup
1/3 pack of small sago pearl
1/2 pack of green bean (washed & picked, free from black beans & dirt)
5 pieces of pandan leave (roughly tied)
1.5 litre water (add more if you prefer a watery consistency) - remember that sago pearls tend to absorb water, and make the green bean soup thick in consistency
Rock sugar, as desired

1. Put a pot of water to boil and pour in sago pearl.  Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to loose sago pearls and prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
2. Lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or till sago has turned partially translucent.  Turn off heat and cover pot to let sago heat and cook further to become completely transparent.
3. Rinse cooked sago through a sieve under running water to remove excess starch then leave in a bowl of room temperature to keep it from turning gooey.
4. Put washed green beans in the big pot of water with pandan leaves to boil and cook for about 20 minutes.
5. Add in sago pearls and stir well to break up big balls of sago pearls.  Add rock sugar to taste.
6. Serve.