20+ BEST Ube Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between taro and ube? ›

Ube is actually a purple yam. that originated from the Philippines, while taro. is a root that's enjoyed in many different continents. Ube and taro are often confused for each other. because of their rich purple color in many desserts, but taro is naturally white.

First peel and cut the ube into cubes. Then place them in a steamer and steam for 20-25 minutes until the ube is very soft.

Ube, more commonly known as purple yam, is a food whose presence in the Hawaiʻi food scene stems from the Filipino dessert, ube halaya. Proving its versatility, ube is a popular ingredient for many desserts, ranging from pancakes to swiss rolls, or from ice cream to ube-filled sweet buns.

Even though ube and purple sweet potatoes share a sweet, earthy taste, ube has a distinctively nuttier, vanilla-like flavor. In addition to their differences in taste, ube is more moist than sweet potatoes, which tend to be drier in texture.

Purple yam is well-known for its distinct color and is an excellent addition to several dishes. It can help boost blood circulation and prevent digestive problems and constipation if included in the diet. Their potent antioxidants may help reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Taro Nutrition. In terms of calories, taro and ube are very similar, with around 140 to 180 calories per serving. Ube is higher in sugar and has lots of antioxidants. Because it has a low glycemic index, meaning the carbohydrates and sugars get metabolized by your body very slowly, it can also help regulate blood sugar ...

Dioscorea alata is a species of yam commonly referred to as purple yam, ube, violet yam, or water yam. This tuberous root vegetable originates from Southeast Asia and is often confused with taro root. An indigenous staple of the Philippines, it's now cultivated and enjoyed worldwide.

Even with their differences, substituting purple sweet potatoes for ube works great in a pinch. Only a true connoisseur will taste the subtle difference.

Meet ube (pronounced “ooh-bay”), a purple yam native to Southeast Asia that has recently gained popularity stateside thanks to its rich violet color. While its social media buzz makes ube seem like the newest food trend, it's been a staple in Filipino cooking for years.

The distinct ube flavor is slightly nutty with a hint of vanilla. It has a coconut-like aroma that lends itself well to dessert items. Ube is most often boiled, mashed, and mixed with condensed milk to bring out its sweetness.

Can you buy ube in the USA? ›

Ube flavor may be hugely popular, both in traditional Filipino sweets and in the countless novelty items sold at Trader Joe's, but in nearly all parts of the United States, the products are made with frozen ube, powdered ube, or ube extract (which sometimes contains no ube at all).

Originating from the Philippines, ube is a starchy root vegetable that belongs to the yam family. You may be familiar with its close cousin, the sweet potato. Ube is a deep royal purple, and has long been the crown on top of the Philippines' national dessert – halo-halo.

Ube is very similar to Okinawan sweet potato (which is actually native to the United States) — both have the same color skin (though some Okinawan sweet potatoes have light-colored skin) and a bright purple flesh, but ube tend to have darker skin.

Ube halaya, or ube jam, is often used in desserts like halo-halo (Filipino shaved ice) or added to pies and ice cream, which you can often find at Purple Yam. Besa's husband, Romy Dorotan, who's also the restaurant's chef, adds ube powder to lumpia (spring rolls) and pandesal (traditional Filipino rolls).

What truly sets ube ice cream apart is its seamless pairing with other beloved Filipino flavors like macapuno and pinipig. Macapuno, also known as coconut sport, is the soft, chewy flesh of the coconut that enhances the creaminess of the ice cream, adding another layer of flavor complexity.

Purple yam powder can then be mixed with water or added to recipes for that vibrant purple coloring and nutty, vanilla flavor. Ube powder is excellent for smoothies, hot chocolate, bread, cakes, and elegant desserts like these ube macarons.

Ube is used widely in Filipino desserts and baked goods, from chiffon cake to cheese-filled pandesal. It tastes earthy and sweet with notes of vanilla, pistachio and coconut, which works beautifully in all sorts of dishes.