When I was younger, I used to not really like the taste of taro. But as I grew up, I came to appreciate the mildly nutty, slight sweet, vanilla flavor of this root vegetable. It’s definitely a bit of an acquired taste if you’re more used to saccharinely sweet drinks popular in America, but with the addition of enough sweetened condensed milk or other sweetener of choice, it should be palatable to even the pickiest of drinkers.
Taro root, much like the potato in Western countries, is a popular ingredient used in many African and Asian countries; boiled and eaten whole, or mashed up into a dish called poi, and even sliced thin and fried to make taro chips. And of course, most know the ingredient from its popular use in bubble tea. But what most people don’t know is that taro is actually typically not purple in color. That iconic purple color actually comes either from food coloring or by mixing it with ube or purple sweet potato. This purple tuber provides color as well as some more natural sweetness, helping to draw out the nutty, vanilla flavors of the taro root.
The purple potatoes I used in this recipe video were actually not sweet potatoes since I couldn’t find any at my grocery store, but I still wanted a little bit of that iconic purple color, so I thought that these might work as a substitute. The flavor of the potato was not sweet at all, so I just added some more condensed milk to balance out the more starchy potato flavor. But ideally, you should use sweet potatoes for that more natural sweet flavor. And they tend to be a more vibrant purple color than this type of potato.
I’m not really sure why these potatoes were white except for the very center, to be honest. So, I would probably leave these out if I were to make this again, since the purple color added was very minimal, especially when viewed through my camera, but thankfully it didn’t affect the flavor too much.
The taro root is typically in season during the winter, but in more tropical regions, it is harvestable year-round, making it a practical ingredient to use any time of the year. But, if you wish to always have some on hand, you can of course freeze your roots after cooking them so that you can quickly use them whenever you are craving some taro milk tea.
And don’t be ashamed to substitute powdered versions of these ingredients for your drink. In fact, at most boba shops, they tend to just use the powdered form since it’s typically already premixed with the perfect balance of sugar and powdered milk, making it easier to make the drink quickly for the customer.
But regardless of if you make this drink entirely from scratch or find some shortcuts using powdered ingredients, this uniquely flavored drink will be a great way to beat the summer heat.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb Taro Roots (1-2 tbsp Taro Root Powder)
- 1/4 lb Purple Sweet Potatoes (1-2 tbsp Ube Powder)
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 cups Water
- 1-2 tsp Loose Leaf (or 1-2 teabags) Jasmine, Green, or Black Tea
- 2-4 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk, Honey, or Sugar
- 1/2 cup or so precooked tapioca pearls (you can make it from scratch, but I prefer just using these pre-prepared ones since it’s a lot easier) (optional)
- Some Ice
Step 1: Prepare & Steam/Boil Taro Root & Purple Sweet Potato
First, we’ll prepare the taro paste, so if you’re using fresh tubers, prepare a steamer by heating up some water in a large pot. While the water is heating up, peel your taro roots and potatoes and then dice them up into 1 inch cubes.
Once your water is boiling, place your diced tubers into your steam basket and steam your root vegetables for 20-30 minutes, or until they are soft and fork-tender.
You can also boil these directly in the water to cook the roots if you don’t have a steam basket, but I recommend using a steamer to retain as much flavor and nutrients as possible. But, if you do choose to boil them directly, you can use the water for your tea.
Step 2: Brew Tea & Then Mix in Sweetened Condensed Milk
While your taro and potatoes are cooking, we’ll prepare the tea. So, heat up the water using a kettle or a pot and once that’s ready, in a mug or bowl, add in your hot water and tea and let this seep for 3-5 minutes.
Once that’s done, remove the tea leaves/bags and mix in your sweetened condensed milk, honey, or sugar, until it dissolves completely. Then, let this cool for a little while we wait for our roots to finish cooking.
Step 3: Blend/Mash Cooked Taro & Sweet Potato, Milk, Sweetened Tea, & Ice; Then Chill Until Ready to Serve
Once everything is ready, in a blender, add in your cooked taro and potatoes (or your powdered versions if using), along with your milk, brewed tea, and ice, if desired, and blend until smooth.
If you don’t want to use a blender, you can mash your taro and potatoes by hand and then mix it with your milk and brewed tea until everything is well combined.
If you do plan on mixing it manually though, I do recommend straining it through a mesh afterwards to give the drink a much more pleasant mouthfeel.
But regardless of what method you use, give it a taste and add more sweetener if desired, and then chill this in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days until you’re ready to serve your drink.
Step 4: Prepare Boba, as Needed, Add Boba & Ice to Serving Glass, Then Add Taro Drink On Top, & Enjoy!
Then, when you’re ready, prepare your boba as needed, and then in your serving glass, add in your boba and ice, if desired, and then pour in your chilled taro drink, and with that, your Taro Milk Tea is ready to drink.