Sweet potato balls are a popular bite-sized snack in Taiwan. They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Made with tapioca flour, the texture on the inside is bouncy, very similar to that of tapioca pearls in bubble tea.
Sweet potato balls come in many variations throughout Asia. The snack is made using sweet potatoes you can get at your local supermarket. Not to mention, it is a vegan snack too. No wonder foodies are willing to wait in long queues at night markets or at a street food stall just to get this freshly fried snack.
Each variation of sweet potato snack differs slightly by one or two ingredients. In this recipe, we will explore Taiwan's version of sweet potato balls. The QQ consistency makes them stand out and is also probably the reason why they are extremely popular.
The QQ consistency
The Taiwanese version has typical characteristics as in many of their snacks - bouncy and chewy. This consistency is so pronounced in their cuisine that they even coined a term calling it QQ.
Apparently, the term comes from the the local Minnan dialect. The word ‘khiu’ 糗which brings the meaning soft, springy or elastic sounds almost like the alphabet Q. Hence, QQ!
If you are from Malaysia or Singapore, you'll recognize the consistency. It's very similar to glutinous rice cake (kuih bakul).
Since it uses tapioca flour, it has the exact bounciness or texture like the tapioca pearls in bubble tea. Coincidentally, bubble tea is from Taiwan. I suppose if boba is fried, it may taste just like this snack.
Type of sweet potatoes
There are many types of sweet potatoes available. As you have already seen from the photo, it's the common orange type that is used. You can use other types of sweet potatoes and they will work just fine. The colour of the snack will highly depend on the type of the root vegetable used.
Japanese sweet potatoes (satsuma-imo) may look similar to the regular type but they are naturally very much sweeter. So, if you do choose this as your choice of the main ingredient, do reduce the sugar content by 5 grams or more.
Cut sweet potato into thin slices to quicken the steaming process. Droplets of water might fall onto the sweet potatoes during steaming. Remove any excess water with a kitchen towel to prevent additional moisture to the mashed potatoes as it might change the content of liquid in the dough later.
You need to have a few tricks up your sleeves to make the best tasting sweet potato balls.
Firstly, start frying them with oil which had already been heated over low heat. Frying at a high temperature initially may cause them to brown too soon leaving the insides uncooked.
The other tip which every sweet potato balls street vendor in Taiwan practises is the act of pressing the balls while frying. It needs to be done for at least 3 times. This makes the balls expand in size and it's noticeable almost immediately.
What makes them crunchy?
Corn flour! When using only tapioca flour, the balls turn soft after a while. Adding a bit of corn flour makes a big difference to the final outcome. The outer layer of the ball becomes crunchy and gives a nice cracking sound as you sink your teeth into it.
You will fall in love with the sweet potato balls at first bite. We all know for a fact that crunchy food is always tasty. Even science backs the idea!
Comparison of sweet potato balls
The common sweet potato balls do have a mildly crunchy outer layer but they can never beat those with corn flour in them. Besides the crunchiness, there is also a notable difference on the inside. Those with corn flour have a larger hollow space while the version with only tapioca flour is denser.
(Left: With corn flour Right: Without corn flour)
For most Taiwanese restaurants and street food vendors, they do not use the additional flour. If you are one of those who do not enjoy super crunchy food, then omit the corn flour and use only tapioca flour. This is the recipe.
Ingredient
Amount
Sweet potato
100g
Tapioca flour
50g
Sugar
20g
Baking instead of frying
Unfortunately, baking will not work. These sweet potato balls require oil to reach its consistency known by many which is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
How to serve?
They are often enjoyed as they are without any additional sweetener.
If you never tried Taiwanese Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls before, it is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. All you need is THREE simple ingredients, Yam, Sweet Potato Flour, and sugar; THAT'S IT! A Gluten-Free dessert that you need to try! What is this?
Because they're a little drier and starchier than other varieties, Japanese sweet potatoes have a distinct creaminess and a fluffier, lighter texture, a little more like a regular baking potato than a standard orange sweet potato. They also have a particularly sweet yet, subtle flavor compared to many other varieties.
Japanese sweet potatoes also come in two different varieties. In Korean, they are called “bam goguma” and “mul goguma.” These two types are the same Japanese sweet potato, but their appearance and texture are slightly different depending on their growing conditions.
It is important to let the mashed potato mixture cool down before stuffing them and forming into a ball for deep frying. If they are warm, they will fall apart, and not hold the shape. Step away and let the potatoes cool.
Boil the sweet potatoes in a large stockpot until soft, about 25 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, add the butter, cream, agave, cinnamon and salt, and mash until smooth. Sprinkle with the orange zest.
If frozen, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then fry. How to store crispy fried mashed potato balls? You can keep these balls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. To reheat, I recommend using an air fryer or the oven at 350F until they are fully warmed up.
Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.
Sweet potato varieties with orange or red skin and deep orange flesh, including Red Garnet (our favorite) and Jewel, cook up sweet and moist. Sweet potato varieties with tan or purple skin, such as Sweet Hannah, Japanese, and Purple, bake up dry and starchy, more like russet potatoes.
If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.
This root vegetable is extremely popular in South Korea and enjoyed in so many ways, including pre-packaged snacks, lattes, noodles, pizzas, stews, desserts, you name it! And in the winter time, it's such a treat to warm up with a steaming hot sweet potato from a street vendor.
Nevertheless, Korean Sweet Potatoes are smaller, purple on the outside, and yellow on the inside when cooked. It has a lower water content which makes it perfect as a roasted or baked snack because it retains a dry but fluffy interior when cooked.
Bake the Potato Balls® for 20-30 minutes in a conventional oven, 15-25 minutes in a convection oven, or until golden brown. Because all ovens vary, check the Potato Balls® 5 minutes.
If you plant sweet potatoes in the ground they should go into a mound of loose loamy soil that reaches eight-inches high. Give sweet potatoes plenty of room as these vining plants prefer to spread. At a minimum, space sweet potatoes 12-inches apart and three-feet between rows.
Start your slips by placing sections of mature sweet potato in a jar or glass of water with half of the potato below the water and half above. Use toothpicks to hold the sweet potato in place. The slips need warmth, so put them on a window ledge or on top of a radiator.
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Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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