However you want to spell this sweet coconut milky goodness of a dessert, it is delicious! I was at the Asian market and saw some taro that inspired me to make my own bo bo cha cha dessert. The funny thing about this is that if I was back in Singapore, this would not be my first pick for dessert.

I looked at a few recipes online and ventured forth. Many recipes describe boiling the taro and sweet potato but I decided to do it my mum’s way – steaming it then topping it off with the sweetened coconut milk. I prefer my taro and sweet potato to be firmer, I guess.

Here’s how I did it.

Ingredients:
2 cups taro, diced
2 cups sweet potato, diced (I used Japanese purple yams)
1 can coconut milk
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
3 pandan leaves, knotted
1 cup tapioca pearls (for bubble tea)

Method:
1. Boil tapioca pearls according to package instructions – 1 cup of dried pearls to 10 cups of water. I did this in a rice cooker and the pearls cooked quickly and were so tender. Set aside.

2. Cut up taro and sweet potato in 1/2″ dice cubes.

3. Steam taro and sweet potato for about 30 mins till fork tender.

4. While steaming is going on, bring sugar and water to a boil then pop in the knotted Pandan leaves, turn down to a simmer.

5. Add coconut milk. I try not to let coconut milk boil furiously, it tends to separate the oils. I like to simmer coconut based dishes.

6. When taro and sweet potato are tender, add some of each (taro, sweet potato and tapioca pearls) in a bowl and ladle on the sweet coconut mixture. This can be served warm or cold.