Bua Loy

This Thai dessert can be found throughout Central Thailand, certainly in Bangkok, though it mostly likely features only ones made from taro, and sometimes sweet pumpkin. It's also served sometimes with a poached egg. My beautiful bride decided to try her hand at making five different kinds (and she actually made six, but the one with avocado did not turn out) - though she tells me it wasn't her favourite dessert in Thailand. Each of these kinds requires a different amount of rice flour, add about half the 100 g, then keep on adding until the dough becomes smooth and is no longer sticky. Make very small balls, smaller than a marble; they cook better and thus taste better. Probably one of the more labour intensive desserts we've made, at least rolling the little balls, I guess you'd get good at it if you do it enough! The end result - delicious! And interesting colours, the sweet potato and beet root turned out especially well. You can get frozen pandan leaves in some Chinese supermarkets.

Bua Loy
100 g of each peeled potato, taro, sweet potato, japanese sweet potato or beet root
100 g glutinous rice flour per each of the above
1 cup warm water
1 can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 piece palm sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 pandan leaves

Cut all root vegetables into smaller chunks and steam them separately until soft. Once they are done, mash each of them finely using a potato ricer or masher (if using beet root, use a food processor to chop finely).

Knead each root vegetable with up to 100 g glutinous rice flour (start with half the rice flour, and add more as needed); gradually add 1 tablespoon of warm water and knead until it becomes a smooth and not sticky dough (for sweet potato, add 1/2 tablespoon of water); if the dough is sticky, add more flour - don't add more than 1 tablespoon water at a time. Break off small pieces of the dough and roll between your two palms to become a small ball (smaller ones tastes better).

Tie 2 pandan leaves into a knot and put into coconut milk. Add water, palm sugar, brown sugar and salt and bring to boil. Tie another 2 pandan leaves into a knot and put into a pot of water to boil. Have a pot of cold water by the side. Boil each of the small balls separately; once they float it means they are cooked. Put the cooked balls into the cold water to stop them cooking and to prevent them from sticking together.

Put some of each of the different balls into bowls and top them with prepared sweet hot coconut milk.