Description
Bua Loy is a traditional Thai dessert made with chewy, colorful glutinous rice balls served in sweet coconut milk. Often naturally colored with ingredients like taro, sweet potato, and pandan, it’s a warm and comforting treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- Taro Dough: 1/2 cup steamed taro, 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour, 1 tbsp tapioca flour, 2–3 tbsp cold water
- Sweet Potato Dough: 1/2 cup steamed orange sweet potato, 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour, 1 tbsp tapioca flour, 2–3 tbsp cold water
- Purple Potato Dough: 1/2 cup steamed purple sweet potato, 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour, 1 tbsp tapioca flour, 2–3 tbsp cold water
- Pandan Dough: 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour, 1 tbsp tapioca flour, 1/4 cup pandan juice (blend 3–4 pandan leaves with water)
- Sweet Coconut Milk: 2 cups coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 pandan leaves knotted, 1 egg (optional)
Instructions
- Steam Roots: Slice and steam taro, sweet potatoes, and purple potatoes until fork-tender. Let cool.
- Make Doughs: In separate bowls, mash each root vegetable and combine with glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour. Add cold water gradually and knead to form soft doughs. For pandan dough, mix the flours with pandan juice.
- Form Balls: Lightly flour your surface. Roll doughs into small balls and set aside.
- Cook Balls: Boil water in a pot. Add rice balls in batches. When they float, cook 2–3 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl of room temperature water.
- Make Coconut Milk: In a pot, combine coconut milk, water, sugar, pandan leaves, and salt. Heat gently until warm and slightly thickened.
- Add Egg (Optional): Crack an egg directly into the coconut milk and poach for 3–4 minutes without stirring.
- Assemble: Add rice balls to the coconut milk and serve warm. If making ahead, store components separately and combine when ready to eat.
Notes
- Use naturally colored root vegetables for visual appeal and subtle flavor differences.
- Keep doughs and balls covered to prevent drying while preparing.
- Rice balls can be stored in water for up to 1 day.
- Serve warm for traditional comfort, or chilled for a refreshing variation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 295
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 135mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
