QQ Sweet Potato Balls
After the final pressing, wait for the sweet potato balls to puff up again before removing them from the oil. If left too long, they will absorb excess oil and deflate the moment they are taken out.
Story
Crispy on the outside and delightfully chewy within, QQ sweet potato balls are a beloved Taiwanese-style street snack enjoyed at night markets and food stalls throughout the Chinese-speaking world. Made from mashed sweet potatoes shaped into small rounds, they are fried using a special double-pressing technique that gives them their signature bouncy, light texture. The golden orbs puff up dramatically in the hot oil, rewarding patient cooks with a treat that is as fun to watch as it is to eat.
Ingredients
sweet potato mash
220g
sweet potato starch
120g
sugar
40g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Weigh the raw sweet potato first, approximately 220g. Cut into small pieces and steam until cooked. While hot, mix in sugar and mash into paste. Add the sweet potato starch in batches—the first two additions can be mixed with a spoon, then knead in the rest by hand.
2
Step 2
After forming a dough, roll it into long strips and pinch off small pieces. You don't necessarily need to shape them round, because the dough is actually a bit prone to falling apart—just make sure there are no major cracks.
3
Step 3
When you insert chopsticks and small bubbles appear around them, you can drop the sweet potato balls in. Do not press them down immediately after dropping! They will flatten instantly and will never plump up again... Wait until the surface is slightly colored and a little firm before starting to press (it's best to have two slotted spoons).
4
Step 4
Use paper towels to absorb the excess oil from the surface, and they're ready to eat!!
