Description
A traditional Thai dessert made of colorful glutinous rice flour balls infused with taro, sweet potato, purple potato, and pandan, served in sweet coconut milk. Also known as bua loy, this comforting treat is creamy, chewy, and perfect for festive occasions or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
- Taro Dough: just over 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour
- Taro Dough: 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- Taro Dough: 3 oz taro (steamed and mashed)
- Taro Dough: 3 tbsp cold water
- Purple Potato Dough: just over 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour
- Purple Potato Dough: 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- Purple Potato Dough: 3 oz purple potatoes (steamed and mashed)
- Purple Potato Dough: 3 tbsp cold water
- Sweet Potato Dough: just over 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour
- Sweet Potato Dough: 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- Sweet Potato Dough: 3 oz sweet potatoes (steamed and mashed)
- Sweet Potato Dough: 3 tbsp cold water
- Pandan Dough: just over 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour
- Pandan Dough: 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- Pandan Dough: juice from about 6 pandan leaves (chopped and blended with water)
- Sweet Coconut Milk: just over 2 cups coconut milk
- Sweet Coconut Milk: 1/2 cup white sugar
- Sweet Coconut Milk: just under 1 cup water
- Sweet Coconut Milk: 1 tsp salt
- Sweet Coconut Milk: 2 pandan leaves, chopped
- Optional: 1 egg (for bua loy kai wan)
Instructions
- Wash and slice taro, sweet potatoes, and purple potatoes into small, even pieces. Steam until fork-tender.
- Blend pandan leaves with water, then strain to extract pandan juice.
- Mash the steamed taro (or other base) in a mixing bowl. Add glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour. Mix by hand, gradually adding cold water (or pandan juice) until a soft, clay-like dough forms.
- Repeat the dough preparation for each flavor (taro, purple potato, sweet potato, pandan). Wrap dough in plastic wrap to prevent drying.
- Dust a tray with glutinous rice flour. Roll the dough into small balls and place on the tray.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the balls in batches, gently stirring. When they float, simmer for 2–3 more minutes. Scoop out and transfer to a bowl of room temperature water.
- In a separate pot, combine coconut milk, water, sugar, pandan leaves, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil.
- (Optional) Crack an egg into the simmering coconut milk and poach for 3–4 minutes without stirring.
- Add the cooked rice balls into the coconut milk and serve warm.
- If storing for later, keep rice balls and coconut milk separate to maintain texture.
Notes
- Use natural food colorings like pandan, taro, and purple potatoes for vibrant colors.
- Always keep dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
- Store coconut milk and rice balls separately if preparing ahead.
- Adjust sugar level based on personal taste preference.
- Serve warm for best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg (optional egg adds ~60mg)
Keywords: Thai Coconut Rice Balls, bua loy recipe, bua loy ingredients, bua loy kai wan, Thai taro balls in sweet coconut cream, bua loy with coconut milk