Taro, Purple Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Glutinous Rice Balls 芋头紫薯金瓜汤圆

Cooking Ginger Syrup:

First, prepare all ingredients needed to make syrup.

First peel the skin of ginger and then cut into thick slices. Crush a little and set aside on a plate.

Put water, sugar, crushed ginger and pandan leaves into a pot. Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes to allow the ginger juice to infuse into the syrup.

Remove the pandan leaf and ginger. strain the syrup and allow syrup to cool.

Preparing Glutinous Rice Balls:

Prepare ingredients needed to make the taro, purple sweet potato and pumpkin glutinous rice balls dough.

Cut taro, purple sweet potatoes and pumpkin into cubes.

Then place in a prepared steamer.

Steam for 30 minutes, until soft. Then remove the steamed taro, sweet potato and pumpkin cubes from the steamer one at a time. Leave the balance to keep warm in the steamer.

To make taro glutinous rice balls: Put the steamed taro into a large mixing bowl. Add in sugar and mash into a paste. Then sieve in glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour. Mix together with a spatula. Gradually add in enough water and knead into a non sticky soft dough.

Cut the taro dough into few pieces. Cover the dough and in batches, divide and roll the dough into small balls. Sprinkle with some glutinous rice flour to prevent the balls sticking together. Set aside and work on the purple sweet potato glutinous rice balls.

To make purple sweet potato glutinous rice balls: Remove steamed purple sweet potato from steamer and place in a big mixing bowl. Add in sugar and mash into a paste. Sieve in glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour. Mix and add in water gradually and knead till a smooth and soft, non sticky dough is formed.

Cut the purple dough into pieces. Cover and divide the dough into small pieces and roll into small balls. Sprinkle some glutinous rice flour over the rice balls to prevent sticking together. When done, continue to make the pumpkin glutinous rice balls.

To make pumpkin glutinous rice balls: Remove steamed pumpkin from steamer and place in a large mixing bowl. Add in sugar and mash into a fine paste. Sieve in glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour. Mix with spatula and then slowly add in warm water and knead into a smooth and soft dough. The dough should not be sticky to the hand.

Cut the yellow pumpkin dough into few pieces, cover and roll into small balls. Sprinkle with some glutinous rice flour to prevent the balls sticking together. Then we are ready to cook the glutinous rice balls.

Cooking Glutinous Rice Balls:

First bring a wok or saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Gently drop the rolled glutinous rice balls into the boiling water. Stir occasionally to prevent the glutinous rice balls sticking together. Cook until they float to the surface.

Once all the rice balls have risen to the surface, allow to cook for another 1 minute.

Then, remove the cooked rice balls with a perforated ladle.

Drop the cooked rice balls immediately into a bowl of cool boiled water for about a minute or until fully cooled.

Remove and drain thoroughly the cooked rice balls from the icy water. Soak them in the ginger syrup prepared earlier. And we're done!

When ready to serve, spoon the soft and chewy glutinous rice balls into serving bowls. Top with the warm ginger syrup and enjoy!