Warm Grass Jelly Recipe with Taro Balls

On the first properly cold evening of November, I found a bag of grass jelly powder in the pantry and a lump of taro on the counter, so I made this warm grass jelly recipe with taro balls instead of ordering takeout. Silky jelly with a faint herbal edge, chewy taro balls and a gingery broth come together with a steamer and just two pots.

Silky Jelly, Chewy Taro, Gingery Broth

Warm grass jelly behaves differently from the chilled cubes in milk tea. It turns soft and almost custardy at the edges, while the taro balls hold a springy chew from tapioca starch. Ginger syrup ties the two together and keeps the herbal bitterness mellow.

I love that the jelly can set a day ahead and the shaped taro balls freeze well, so serving night is just simmering. It is also a grass jelly dessert that needs no oven and no special molds.

Pantry Staples and One Good Taro

A good grass jelly recipe hinges on the powder, so read the package ratio before you start. Everything else is easy to find at any Asian grocery.

• 2 Tbsp (20 g) grass jelly powder: made from dried Mesona herb, which gives the dark color and tea like taste.
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) cornstarch: gives the cubes a cleaner, firmer set that survives warming.
• 3 cups (720 ml) cold water, for the jelly: cold water keeps the powder from clumping.
• 1 lb (450 g) taro, peeled and cubed: I choose the heaviest piece with purple flecks, which steams nutty and floury.
• 3 Tbsp (38 g) sugar: sweetens the taro dough.
• 1 cup (120 g) tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting: gives the balls their springy chew; potato starch will not bounce the same way.
• 2 to 3 Tbsp (30 to 45 ml) hot water: adds just enough moisture to bring the dough together.
• 4 cups (960 ml) water, for the broth
• 2 inch (5 cm) fresh ginger, sliced: gives the warm bite that balances the jelly’s bitter edge; ground ginger turns the broth muddy.
• 1/3 cup (70 g) dark brown sugar: brings a molasses depth; muscovado or black sugar works too.
• 1 pinch salt: sharpens the sweetness.
• 2 Tbsp (18 g) crushed roasted peanuts, optional: add a toasty crunch on top.
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk, optional: a creamy swirl I add when feeling indulgent.

Thin Gloves and a Hot Steamer

Wear thin gloves to peel the taro, since the raw flesh can make hands itch. Cut it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes so it steams evenly, and get the steamer water boiling before the taro goes in. Rinse a shallow 8 inch (20 cm) dish with cold water for the jelly and dust a tray with tapioca starch for the finished balls.

Warm Grass Jelly Recipe with Taro Balls, From Pot to Bowl

Step 1: Cook the jelly until glossy

Whisk the powder and cornstarch into the cold water until no specks float. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, until it bubbles, turns glossy black and coats the spoon like loose pudding. Pour into the rinsed dish and chill about 40 minutes.

Step 2: Steam and mash the taro

Steam the cubes over boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes, until the kitchen smells nutty, a fork slides in with no resistance and the edges crumble. Mash right away with the sugar while hot, then stir in the tapioca starch. Cold taro turns lumpy, so do not wait.

Step 3: Knead and roll the balls

Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time, kneading until the dough feels like soft play dough and lifts clean off your palm. Roll into 3/4 inch (2 cm) balls and drop them onto the dusted tray. Cover with a towel to prevent drying.

Step 4: Boil until the balls float

Drop the balls into a pot of boiling water and stir gently once. They sink first, then float after 3 to 4 minutes; cook 2 minutes more until the surface turns slightly translucent and springs back to a poke. Lift out with a slotted spoon.

Step 5: Simmer the broth and warm the jelly

Empty the pot, then simmer the water, ginger, brown sugar and salt on medium low for 10 minutes until the ginger scent turns sharp and sweet. Cut the jelly into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) cubes, slip them in, and warm 2 minutes without boiling. Add the taro balls last and ladle into bowls.

Grass Jelly Dessert for Cold Nights and Hot Days

• Cold night bowl: Serve it straight from the pot with a few ginger slices left in, and the steam alone takes the edge off a chill.
• Hot day bowl: Chill the broth and jelly separately, then add ice and the taro balls at the last minute, because the balls firm up in cold liquid.
• Gathering pot: Keep the broth on the lowest heat and set out bowls so everyone ladles their own jelly and taro balls.

Easy Swaps for Warm Grass Jelly with Taro Balls

• Sweet potato: I replace half the taro with steamed orange sweet potato when taro is scarce, and the balls turn softer and sweeter.
• Canned grass jelly: On busy nights I rinse and cube canned jelly, and since it is usually sweetened, I cut the brown sugar by 1 tablespoon.
• Pandan leaf: I knot one leaf into the broth while it simmers for a grassy, vanilla like fragrance, then fish it out.
• Rock sugar: I sometimes swap the brown sugar for 1/4 cup (50 g) rock sugar when I want a clearer, lighter broth.

What to Serve with This Grass Jelly Recipe

I usually bring this out after a salty dinner of noodles or dumplings, when something warm and gently sweet closes the meal well.

• Crushed roasted peanuts – Sprinkle 1 tablespoon over each bowl just before eating so they stay crunchy against the soft jelly.
• Sweet red beans – Spoon 2 tablespoons of warm cooked red beans into the bowl first, then ladle jelly, taro balls and broth on top.
• Scallion pancakes – Cut into wedges and serve as a salty first course, then bring out the dessert bowls once plates are cleared.
• Hot jasmine tea – Pour small cups and set them beside each bowl for sipping between spoonfuls.

Small Details That Decide the Texture

• Jelly stays runny or lumpy: Whisk the powder into cold water first, then cook 8 to 10 minutes until it coats a spoon like loose pudding. Hot water clumps it and undercooked mix never sets.
• Taro balls crack at the edges: The dough is too dry. Knead in 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time until it feels like soft play dough, and dust with starch if it sticks.
• Jelly cubes break into cloudy broth: Warm them on low heat for only 2 minutes. A rolling boil shreds the edges, so stop stirring once the cubes are in and just tilt the pot.

Leftovers and Make Ahead Habits

I keep leftover jelly in a covered container with a splash of cold water for up to 4 days, and the broth in a separate jar. Cold taro balls turn hard, so I only cook as many as we will eat and freeze the rest raw on a tray, then in a bag for a month. Boil them from frozen, adding about 1 minute.

Print Recipe

Warm Grass Jelly Recipe with Taro Balls

Author: Lina Harper Cooking Method: Stovetop Cuisine: Asian Meal Type: Desserts

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 25 mins Rest Time 40 mins Total Time 1 hr 25 mins

Cooking Temp: 100  C Servings: 4 Estimated Cost: $ 9 Calories: 430 kcal

Best Season: Fall, Winter

Dietary:

D Dairy-Free V Vegetarian

Description

A cozy Taiwanese style dessert of homemade grass jelly cubes and chewy taro balls warmed in a ginger brown sugar broth. Steam the taro while the jelly chills for a relaxed, make ahead friendly bowl.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 2 Tbsp grass jelly powder (20 g)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch (16 g)
• 3 cups cold water, for the jelly (720 ml)
• 1 lb taro, peeled and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes (450 g)
• 3 Tbsp sugar (38 g)
• 1 cup tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting (120 g)
• 2 to 3 Tbsp hot water (30 to 45 ml)
• 4 cups water, for the broth (960 ml)
• 2 inch fresh ginger, sliced (5 cm)
• ¹⁄₃ cup dark brown sugar (70 g)
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 Tbsp crushed roasted peanuts, optional (18 g)
• ¹⁄₄ cup coconut milk, optional (60 ml)

Instructions

1. Prep the taro and dish

   Wearing thin gloves, peel the taro and cut it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Rinse a shallow 8 inch (20 cm) dish with cold water and dust a tray with tapioca starch. Bring the steamer water to a boil at 212°F / 100°C so it is ready when the jelly is chilling. Keep the cubes about the same size so they cook evenly.

2. Cook the grass jelly

   Whisk 2 tablespoons grass jelly powder and 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 3 cups cold water until smooth. Set over medium heat and stir constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture bubbles, darkens to glossy black and coats a spoon like loose pudding. Pour into the dish and chill about 40 minutes until firm.

3. Steam and mash the taro

   Steam the taro for 20 to 25 minutes over boiling water, until the kitchen smells nutty and a fork slides in without resistance. Transfer to a bowl and mash with 3 tablespoons sugar while still hot. Cold taro turns lumpy, so work quickly and mash until no visible chunks remain.

4. Knead the dough and roll the balls

   Stir in 1 cup tapioca starch, then add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time, kneading until the dough feels like soft play dough and pulls cleanly from your palm. Roll into 3/4 inch (2 cm) balls and set them on the dusted tray. Cover with a towel so the surface does not dry and crack.

5. Boil the taro balls

   Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil at 212°F / 100°C and drop in the balls, stirring gently once. They sink first and float after 3 to 4 minutes, then cook 2 minutes more until the surface looks slightly translucent and springs back when poked. Lift out with a slotted spoon and discard the cooking water.

6. Simmer the broth and assemble

   In the emptied pot, simmer 4 cups water, ginger, brown sugar and salt over medium low heat, about 195°F / 90°C, for 10 minutes until the aroma turns sharp and sweet. Cut the jelly into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) cubes, warm in the broth for 2 minutes without boiling, then add the taro balls. Ladle into bowls and top with peanuts and coconut milk.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 4 ServingCalories:430kcalTotal Fat:6gSodium:60mgDietary Fiber: 4gSugars: 28gProtein:3gCarbohydrates: 91g

Note

• Grass jelly powder brands vary. If your package gives a different water ratio, follow it and keep the cornstarch for a firmer cube.
• Steam the taro while the jelly chills so everything finishes together.
• Taro balls are best eaten within 30 minutes of cooking, before they firm up.
• Shaped raw taro balls can be frozen on a tray, then bagged for up to 1 month.

Keywords: warm grass jelly, taro balls, grass jelly dessert, Taiwanese dessert, hot dessert soup