Sweet Potato Balls

These sweet potato balls are in the Indonesian version called Bola-bola ubi. A sweet snack made from only 3 ingredients that going to blow your mind and be extremely addictive! The texture is light and airy after deep fried in golden brown, best served when still hot!

Indonesia Sweet Potato Balls are a popular street food snack in Indonesia. Make by mashing steamed sweet potatoes and mixing them with tapioca flour, sugar, and water to form a dough. The dough is then shaped into small balls and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. Indonesia Sweet Potato Balls are sweet and slightly chewy, hollow in the center.

Bola bola ubi, also known as sweet potato balls, are a delightful and versatile snack enjoyed in various cultures around the world. You can fry, bake, or boil these bite-sized treats, providing a variety of textures and flavors. Whether you prefer sweet or savory options, you can customize bola bola ubi to suit your taste preferences.

I love sweet potatoes, Even tho many people do not really like them because of their bland taste, but for me, sweet potatoes are just an underrated veggie and I love it. Moreover, here there is a Cilembu Sweet Potato, cilembu is a place in West Java that produces a smooth, sweet potato. I heard that Japanese sweet potato is also the best. I hope one day I can taste it! Since I love sweet potatoes, I stock them in the refrigerator just in case I’m hungry but too lazy to cook, and now I decided to make sweet potato balls as a snack, turns out my kids love them too!

Sweet potato Variations around countries

As I surf on the internet, I found out that these sweet potato balls have so many in common in every country, this is what I found, don’t hesitate to add your comment if your country has this dish too! Here are some popular sweet potato ball variations found around the globe:

• In China, people enjoy Tangyuan, which is glutinous rice flour balls filled with sweet red bean paste and boiled in water. Variations may include incorporating mashed sweet potato into the dough or filling. These sweet treats are traditionally savored during Lantern Festival celebrations.
• Japan offers Mitarashi Dango, skewered dumplings made from glutinous rice flour and coated in a sweet and savory soy sauce glaze. Sweet potato can be infused into the dough for a distinctive flavor.
• Thailand serves up Kanom Kai Nok Kra Ta, deep-fried sweet potato balls with a crispy exterior and a soft, sweet potato filling. These popular street food snacks are commonly accompanied by a sweet chili dipping sauce.
• In Vietnam, you’ll find Banh Canh Khoai Lang, savory sweet potato fritters made with grated sweet potato, rice flour, and shrimp. They’re typically pan-fried with a dipping sauce.
• Puerto Rico boasts Buñuelos de batata, sweet potato fritters flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. These fluffy fritters are a favored breakfast or snack treat.

Ingredients of Sweet Potato Balls

• Steamed Sweet Potato peeled; This is the main star Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and antioxidants, which protect your body from free radical damage and promote a healthy gut and brain. They’re also incredibly rich in beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A to support good vision and your immune system. Don’t forget to steam first. providing the base and natural sweetness of your bola bola ubi.
• Tapioca Flour; I use tapioca flour to add a chewy texture, Also known as tapioca starch, this acts as a binder to hold the ingredients in your bola bola ubi together. Tapioca flour is naturally gluten-free, making it a great choice for those with gluten sensitivities. When combined with water, tapioca flour forms a gel that helps create the structure of your sweet potato balls.
• Sugar; This is optional, if your sweet potato is already sweet and you’re reducing sugar intake, you can skip the sugar part.
• Double Acting Baking Powder; Double-acting baking powder contains two types of acids. The first acid reacts by creating gases when mixed with the liquid in the recipe. The second type reacts by creating gases when the batter is exposed to oven heat. Double-acting baking powder releases carbon dioxide twice, once when mixed with the wet ingredients and again when heated during frying or baking. This helps the balls rise slightly, adding a pleasant texture.
• Salt; For balancing overall taste, flavor enhancer and helps to balance the sweetness of the sweet potato and sugar.
• Water; needs water for mixing the tapioca flour with sweet potato, Adding water helps to hydrate the tapioca flour and create a workable dough that can be easily formed into balls.

How To Make Sweet Potato Balls

First thing first, peel the skin and slice the sweet potatoes into thin slices. Steam the potato slices in a pan or steamer. The potatoes should be soft enough for mashing.

Secondly, grab a large mixing bowl and add your steamed, peeled sweet potato. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the sweet potato vigorously until it becomes smooth and free of any lumps.

Next, add the tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the mashed sweet potato in the bowl. Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold these dry ingredients into the mashed potato until they are just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bola bola ubi tough.

Now, If the mixture feels dry and crumbly, gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, while mixing continuously.

Next, shaping time. With clean hands, scoop out about 1/2 tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture. Gently roll the dough between your palms to form a smooth ball, make it a ball.

Tricky part!

Then, Heat up your wok or a large frying pan over medium heat. Allow the oil to reach a hot temperature, ideally around 350°F (175°C).

Once the oil is hot, gently add a few sweet potato balls at a time to the wok. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can cause the oil temperature to drop and prevent the balls from crisping properly

Here’s a step to add a delightful textural contrast! Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove a ball from the oil and gently press it a few times with the back of the spoon. This will create a small hollow space in the center of the bola bola ubi. Be careful not to press too hard, or the ball might break open. Repeat this process with the remaining balls as you fry them.

Continue frying the sweet potato balls until they are golden brown all over and cooked through. The total frying time will depend on the size of your balls, but it’s typically around 5-7 minutes.

Once golden brown and cooked through, use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried bola bola ubi to a plate lined with paper towels. Rest it on a cooling rack to remove excess oil. Enjoy your sweet potato balls, serve while still hot!

Try this Recipe!

Don’t forget to try this Popcorn balls recipe, let me know if this recipe works and be your favorite menu to cook. You can save this recipe with sign-up for my email list! please leave a star rating and a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback.

Also, you can follow our Pinterest, Instagram, and Youtube channel for the up-to-date menu. Thankyou for your support. See you on the other menu recipe friends!

DON’T FORGET TO TRY THESE OTHER SWEET TREATS;