Bubor Cha-Cha

 

Bubor Cha-Cha is probably one of the more well-known Nyonya desserts.  It is a colorful and sweet dessert cook in a sweet coconut milk base.

Ingredients: (serves about 10 people)

• 2 medium purple sweet potato 
• 2 medium orange sweet potato 
• 2 medium yellow/white sweet potato
• 1 medium yam or taro 
• Sago (Tapioca pearls)
• Black-eye beans (soaked for 1 hour) - add if desired
• 2-3 Banana (peeled and cut half inches thick) - add if desired

Note: Vary ingredients to your preference, whether you want more potions of taro or purple sweet potatoes or sago pearls or sugar, etc.

Coconut Milk Base:

• 6-7 cups water
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 4-6 pandan leaves (frozen or fresh) washed and knotted together.
• Brown or white sugar (to your desired sweetness)
• Salt to taste if desired

Directions:

1. Peel and cut all potatoes and taro into cubes or desired shapes.  Steam for 20 minutes or until cooked. Set aside.
2. In boiling water, boil sago (the tapioca pearls) separately, until translucent and cooked. Pour the cooked tapioca pearls into strainer and rinse with cold water to remove excess starch (prevents sago pearls from clumping). Set aside to drain.
3. In a large pot, boil water.  When boiling, add sugar, (salt), knotted pandan leaves and cook over low heat about 20 minutes.
4. Remove pandan leaves and add the coconut milk. 
5. Once the coconut milk based mixture boils, pour in all the sweet potatoes and taro. Bring to a boil and add tapioca pearls. Mix well.
6. Serve hot or cold, as you like.

Variations:

1. In boiling water, boil black-eye peas until soft.
2. Bring a pot of water, add in 1 table spoon sugar, pour in banana and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Pour both ingredients into the coconut milk based and mix well.

Note: Pandan plant in English is called “screw pine”.