Muối tôm is a salt combined with red chilis and dried shrimp. It’s also known as Vietnamese Dried Shrimp Salt and is commonly used to dip unripped fruit. Use this to dip mangos or pineapples. It’s a great dry salt that is elevated with dried shrimp. Its gives it a lovely umami flavor.

Muoi tom can be purchased in shops, but I have never seen them where I am from. The store-bought muoi ot is usually only available overseas. When my mother-in-law made this last summer to eat with some unripened mangoes I had to ask her how she made this. This is a combination of dried shrimp, red chili peppers, garlic, salt and sugar. Check out my other sauces like Muoi Ot Xanh Sauce or Muoi Ot (Vietnamese Chili Salt)

It’s also called Vietnamese Dried Shrimp Salt let’s check out how I made this perfect salt to dip with your favorite fruit.

Why make this

Dipping with sour fruit. When you dip tart or sour fruit in the muoi tom you will get a combination of umami, salty and garlicky pop with each bite. 

Great for summer parties. Make a big batch if you are hosting a party or heading to a party. Everyone will enjoy this with her fruits

Why we love this recipe

Fresh ingredients. There is nothing better than homemade dipping salt. Often times when you buy store-bought dips there are preservatives. This recipe uses fresh ingredients and you know exactly what goes in the dipping salt. 

Use your air fryer. Muoi tom is dried in a hot summer day. The blended salt is left out under the hot sun to dry and it can take up to 12 hours to dry. With an air fryer, the salt can be dried in 1 hour.

What does muoi tom taste like?

This recipe uses long Thai chilis which adds a bit of spicy kick. These chilis are less spicy than the small Thai chilis. The dried shrimp adds a complex umami flavor. Combined with the salt and sugar it creates a flavor bomb salted shrimp with a hint of umami. 

Equipment

Small chopper. Using a smaller food chopper is best for this recipe. This smaller batch recipe requires a smaller chopper to get the dried shrimp chopped up finely. 

Air fryer or oven. The air fryer will dry out the ingredients quickly. I also use my Breville smart oven Air convection oven. I use the air fryer function and will dry out the shrimp salt quickly.

Ingredients, adjustments & substitutions

dried shrimp. Dried shrimp can be found in Asian supermarkets. It’s commonly used to add umami flavor to soups and Asian dishes. This recipe wouldn’t be shrimp salt without it. There will be varying sizes you can purchase I like to buy medium size dried shrimp so it’s easier to finely chop up. 

salt. I use table salt for this recipe. Feel free to use your favorite salt. Pink Himalayan salt works as well.

Thai red chili (Long). I prefer my shrimp salt less spicy so I prefer to use the long thai red chilis. They are available at Asian supermarkets in the fresh produce section.

garlic. Adds a hint of garlicky flavor.

sugar. Adds a nice balance of sweetness. I use granulated sugar, but any type of sugar will work.

How to make Muoi Tom

Soak dried shrimp. Soak the dried shrimp in hot water for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove from the water and dry on a paper towel. Chop the dried shrimp in to small pieces.

Wash and peel. Wash the Thai Chili peppers and peel the garlic.

Mince and mix. In a food processor, combine the garlic and red chilli and blend until it’s finely minced. Add the dried shrimp and blend until finely minced. Add sugar, salt and msg (Optional) and blend until it’s well mixed.

Dehydrate. Place aluminum foil in an air fryer. Pour the mixture and spread it out evenly. Set the air fryer or oven 200°F for 1 hour. Halfway through mix the shrimp salt and loosen any chunks. 

Blend large chunks. Any large chunks can be blended in the food processor to finely chop it up. This will also make fine shrimp salt.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use fresh shrimp instead of dried shrimp?

Yes, you can use real shrimp for this recipe. Finely mince the shrimp in the food processor. Before drying it in the air fryer cook the mixture on a stovetop for 10-12 minutes on medium-low heat. This will make sure the shrimp is fully cooked and any moisture is removed before adding it to the air fryer. This will also reduce the time in the air fryer. It should be ready in 40-45 minutes.

Success tips to make the best Muoi Tom

Wash and soak dried shrimp. Washing and soaking the shrimp will remove dirt and help finely mince the shrimp in the food processor faster.

Keep a watchful eye when dehydrating. Keep a watchful eye during the second half of the shrimp salt mixture being dried in the air fryer. Mix the shrimp salt so it is evenly dried. 

Do not compact the shrimp salt. When air frying makes sure the shrimp salt is loosened so it dries evenly. I find when it is compact it takes longer and the drying is uneven. 

How to serve

The shrimp salt is perfect to use with tart or unripe fruit. Commonly used to dip mangos or pineapples. 

How to store

Store in an air-tight container and can be left refrigerated for up to 2 weeks if properly dried.

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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Muối Ớt Xanh green sauce is perfect for dipping seafood or grilled meats. Also known as Vietnamese green seafood sauce is a slightly sweet yet refreshing sauce. It has lime leaves, condensed milk, lime juice, sugar and salt. This combination of ingredients will surely give any seafood a pop of insane flavor. Let’s check out this easy recipe!

Anytime I think of a nice dipping sauce for cooked shrimp or seafood the first sauce that pops up is shrimp cocktail sauce. The red sauce is commonly known as the one sauce for parties and get-togethers that is placed neatly in the center of a shrimp cocktail ring. Shrimp cocktail has ketchup, mild chili sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.

This Vietnamese seafood dipping sauce has very similar ingredients but this green sauce is sweet and refreshing compared to shrimp cocktail sauce. The contrast in color and taste will surely make you want to have this sauce available when you host a party.

Why we love this recipe

Everyone will enjoy it. This sauce is actually not spicy. I use green chili peppers which are not spicy compared to green Thai chili peppers. This sauce can be enjoyed by everyone since its not spicy. 

Easy to adjust. This recipe can be easily adjusted to make a spicy Muoi Ot Xanh sauce by swapping out the green chili peppers and use Thai green chili peppers.

Why make this?

Substitute for shrimp cocktail sauce. Want to be different and bring a completely new dipping sauce for the party you are hosting? This Vietnamese green dipping sauce pairs well with cocktail shrimp. 

Quick and easy recipe. This can be made in under 10 minutes. Chop up the green bell peppers and green chilli peppers and blend until it’s smooth or has a little pulp. The most time-consuming part is juicing the limes.

What is Muoi Ot Xanh?

Muoi Ot xanh is a sauce that is used commonly to dip seafood and grilled meats. It originated from Vietnam and is a great sauce that can be easy made when fresh seafood is caught from the waters. Try my Vietnamese Chili Salt recipe if you want a dry dip that’s great for fruit.

What does it taste like?

This recipe is a citrusy sweet flavor combined with the lime juice it adds a nice acidic kick to any foods you dip with. The green peppers are slightly bitter and grassy but the sugar and sweetened condensed milk adds a nice balance of sweetness to the sauce. Overall this sauce is a great pairing for and seafood from shrimp cocktail, grilled prawns, calamari, lobster or fish.

Ingredients, Substitutions and Adjustments

green chili peppers. For this recipe, I used green chili peppers. They are long and you can typical find them beside the thai chili peppers at Asian grocery store in the fresh produce section. If you want a bit of a kick substitute with Thai chili peppers to get the spiciness. Make sure to de-seed them so you don’t have the pepper seeds

green bell pepper. The green bell peppers will give the sauce a bright green color. 

lime juice. Using freshly squeezed lime juice will give a stronger citrus flavor. However if you have ready to use lime juice you can use that instead. 

granulated white sugar. Adds sweetness to the sauce. Adjust to your preference. If you would like ti sweeter add more. Substitute with brown sugar.

salt. Elevates all the flavors of the ingreidents.

lime leaves. The lime leaves are an aromatic Asian leaf. It will add a citrus flavor to the dipping sauce. If you don’t have lime leaves the best optin is to zest the lime before juice and adding the zest from 1 lime.

sweetened condensed milk. Condensed milk will add a sweet and milky flavor. If you don’t have condensed milk you can increase the amount of sugar and add 2 tbsp of milk. 

Equipment

Food processor. I use a food processor and pulse until it’s smooth as possible. I use my KitchenAid food processor.

Blender. The blender will blend the dipping sauce until it’s smooth. However, I do like a bit of pulp to add texture to my dipping sauce.

How to make this recipe

Wash and deseed the green chili peppers and the green bell pepper. Set aside

Cut the limes in half and juice. Set a side

Toss all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour so its nice and cold.

Enjoy with your favorite seafood or add it to your grilled meats

Success Tips to make the best Muoi Ot Xanh Sauce

Use fresh lime juice. Freshly squeezed lime juice can’t be beat and it does make a difference in the flavor of the dipping sauce. 

Chill. When I use this to dip seafood it’s best to refrigerate for at least 1 hour before consuming. Especially when using this as a substitute for shrimp cocktail dip having it chilled will make eating the shrimp for enjoyable.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this spicy?

Yes, substitute this with Thai green Chilis. It will add a nice kick to the sauce.

How to serve

I love these replace these with shrimp cocktail sauce. Use it to dip your favorite seafood like shrimp. I’ve also use it to dip in my grilled meats like my Air Fryer Char Siu Pork Chops or Air fryer Vietnamese Chicken Wings.

This sauce is perfect for BBQ meats and dipping with any seafood like lobster, crab, fish and squid.

How to store

This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

I love these replace these with shrimp cocktail sauce. Use it to dip your favorite seafood like shrimp. I’ve also use it to dip in my grilled meats like my air fryer char siu pork chops, Air fryer Vietnamese Chicken Wings

This sauce is perfect for BBQ meats and dipping with any seafood like lobster, crab, fish and squid.

How to store

This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

Follow me at CookwithChung on Pinterest to get a notification of all my latest recipes!

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!

Black sesame steamed buns are a combination of soft buns with a sweetly rich, nutty black sesame filling. Instead of an inside filling these are spread evenly on the bun and assembled so the filling is layered and each bite will have a nice kick of sweet black sesame filling.

Black sesame (zhi ma) is commonly used in many Asian desserts. Its nutrient-rich and gives off a lovely roasted flavor to any dessert. One of my favorite Asian flavored ice creams is black sesame ice cream. Anytime I see black sesame on the menu at any Asian dessert restaurant I’m immediately drawn to it. 

These black sesame steamed bun is the perfect breakfast or snack sized treat that will be loved by everyone. It is great to make a batch and save it for breakfast for those busy weekday mornings with the kids. You can pop them in the microwave or steam them for 3-5 minutes while you are getting their lunches ready in the mornings. They can enjoy it during their car ride to school. So easy!

Why make this?

Only requires a handful of ingredients. This recipe only needs a handful of common pantry items to make. The most uncommon ingredients will be black sesame seeds. However, they have become such a common ingredient that it’s fairly easy to get your hands on.

Taste great. The sweet black sesame filling really elevates this steam bao. It adds a subtle nutty flavor that is not easy to mimic with any other ingredient.

Easy recipe. Growing up my mom would make a big batch of steamed bao or mantou. She would easily be able to make enough to fill large Ziploc bags and hand them out to family and friends. They freeze well and are easy to re-heat.

Why we love this recipe?

Easy to scale up or down. This recipe is easy to make a large batch to freeze or if you only want 6 buns.

Kids will devour them. Kids love steamed bao. It is just a fact. It is easy to warm them up and plate them and you will know that they will enjoy eating them. There is no fuss or nagging to finish it. That’s why I love to make a big batch for breakfast on Sunday and these are ready to warm up for them.

Easy to add more or less black sesame. The recipe is versatile and it allows you to adjust how much black sesame seeds you would like. I use 4 tablespoon cause if there is too much filling it starts to fall out while assembling. 

If you like a sweeter filling. This recipe can be adjusted to be less or more sweet by reducing or adding more sugar to the filling. Adjust by 1 teaspoon at a time so if you prefer a sweeter filling add 1 tsp.

What is black sesame?

Black sesame seeds are black versions of white sesame seeds. They are rich and nutty flavor and are commonly used in many Asian desserts. They are visually appealing since the super black seeds are a great addition as a garnish or to add rich flavors to many dishes. I’ve used black sesame in my Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls for lunar new year.

Check out my other recipes that also incorporate black sesame seeds like in my Black Sesame Brownies, black sesame mantou, black sesame mochi and black sesame waffles.

What is steamed bao? Is it different than mantou?

Steamed bao is traditionally made with fillings and enjoyed for breakfast or a snack. Mantou are buns with no filling and is a steamed bao. Mantou is easier to make as there is no filling and forming a bun is super easy. 

Steamed buns are inexpensive to make and all you really need is some all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and yeast and you can make a perfect bun.

Ingredients, variations, adjustments

all-purpose flour. Weighing the all-purpose flour will help get an accurate amount of flour. If you don’t have a scale use the scoop and measure method.

warm water. The warm water will activate the yeast while it is being kneaded in the stand mixer. I like to add about 1/2 cup first and then slowly add more as the mixer is working. You want the dough to be a smooth texture once its don’t knead.

sugar. A little bit goes along was with the steam buns.  Adds a little bit of sweetness to the steamed buns. I use granulated sugar.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

baking powder. Will help create fluffier buns. 

active yeast. I use regular yeast for this recipe and not the instant type. This helps keep the dough flat longer while you are assembling the baos with the filling. The proofing will be done inside the steamer after the baos have been assembled. 

black sesame seeds. Black sesame seeds can e commonly found in Asian supermarkets in large bags. Around Chinese New Year I will see a large bag on sale and will buy it in bulk so it will last me for the next year. Usually, the black sesame seeds are not toasted, but you can find toasted black sesame seeds or even finely ground toasted sesame seeds. It would be easier and will save time. It is easy to toast and throw into a food processor.

sugar. The sugar is needed to sweeten the filling. It also helps with keeping the black sesame grind held together when you are spreading it over the dough.

salt. Helps elevate the black sesame flavor. 

unsalted butter. The unsalted butter is needed to keep the black sesame filling sticking to the dough. I found when I didn’t use it when I was assembling the buns the filling would fall out. Room temperature or soften butter will make it easier to spread evenly.

Kitchen Equipment for this Recipe

Kitchen scale. When it comes to baking or any recipe where I need to use flour a kitchen scale is a must. Using one will make sure you are not using too much flour. Creating a very dense and unpleasant textured bun.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Using a stand mixer helps create a well-mixed dough and reduces a lot of the hard work of kneading by hand. Knead on the machine needs about 8 minutes so if you are doing it by hand it would probably require double the amount of time.

Steamer. I have a 2 layer steamer that comes in handy to steam up to 6 baos at a time. For smaller size you can probably steam about 8-10 buns. This one is the perfect size for making this recipe. It also comes in handy if you want to steam and warm other foods like dim sum.

Rolling pin. A good rolling pin a necessary in any household. This one is simple and functional for any time of rolling of dough or pasta. 

How to make Black Sesame Steamed Rolls

The DOUGH

In the standing mixer’s inner mixing bowl combine the flour, ½ cup water, sugar, baking powder, yeast and salt. Use the dough hook and knead for 8 minutes. If the dough is dry add 1 tbsp of water at a time. Mix until the dough is 

The FILLING

In a small frying pan toast the black sesame seeds over medium heat. Toast until fragrant and stir frequently. The sesame seeds should be slightly rounded once toasted. Remove from heat.

In a food processor pulse with sugar and salt until the seeds release oil and all the ingredients form a paste.

Rolling the dough

Take the dough and roll it into a rectangle (15-inch X 10-inch).

Take the softened butter and spread it over the rectangular dough.

Take the filling and spread it evenly over the rolled-out dough. 

Folding and cutting the dough

Using both hands take the bottom corners and fold the edge up 1/3 of the way. Now take the top corner and fold it down 1/3 of the way.

Take a sharp knife and cut the folded dough into 12 equal rectangular pieces.

Assemble and proof bao

Take 2 rectangular pieces. Stack one on top of another. Using a chopstick press is down lengthwise. Take the ends and pull to stretch it out a bit.  Folding down the ends. Stick the chopsticks under the bend and twist 45 degrees and press the bao down on the flat surface.

Repeat until all 6 baos are done.

Place in the steamer and proof for 1 hour. They won’t double in size but should be more puffier.

Steam

Turn the stove and let the water boil. Set time for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and remove the lid. Let it cool and enjoy.

Success Tips for making the best Black Sesame Steamed Rolls

Grind the black sesame finely. The black sesame filling should be finely ground to help bring out as much of the flavor as possible. In the food processor if you have ground it down enough the oils from the sesame seeds will come out. In the food processor, the ground black sesame will begin to build up on the side of the food processor. I use a spatula to scrape it down and 

Use a chopstick to assemble the buns. The chopstick will help lif the pleats up and also when you create the twist near the end it will help you press the bun down to hold the shape. 

Proof for at least one hour. The buns to proof double in size. Once it reaches the size you can start steaming.

Recipe FAQs

Why are my buns not proofing inside the steamer?

The buns require a little bit of humidity in order to proof. Before adding the buns to the steamer you can add warm water to the bottom of the steamer. The alternative is to turn the stove on for 2-3 minutes or until the inside of the steamer is slightly warm.

Why are my buns not pleated and pretty?

Assembling the bun require practice and patience. It will take a couple of tries before you become a pro bun making and with the black sesame filling it does create a bit of a mess. So keep practicing and in no time the buns will look so pretty you won’t even want to eat them. If its your first time making them don’t worry it will still taste great regardless of what they look like.

How will I know if the black sesame is toasted?

When toasting the black sesame its challenging to see if it is toasted or not since the seeds are black. The best way to ell is using your nose and eyes. What you are looking for is the seeds will puff up slightly and become more rounded versus flat when it’s not toasted.

If you have some white sesame seeds you can toss in a small pinch and they can be good indicators when you see them turning slightly brown around the edges.

How do I get the beautiful white color steamed buns?

The secret to getting a nice white steam bun is to add vinegar to the steamer water. Similar to my Vietnamese banh bao where I added some white vinegar to help achieve a nice pure white color bun.

How to serve

These nutty and flavorful baos are perfect for breakfast or as a mid-day snack. Serve this up with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

How to store

The buns will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight bag or container.

How to reheat

Use a steamer to warm these up. I would steam them for 3-4 minutes once the water is boiling.

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

Follow me at CookwithChung on Pinterest to get a notification of all my latest recipes!

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!

These full flavor addictive crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken bites are the perfect snack for parties and get-togethers.  The Taiwanese marinade will flavor the chick thighs and the five-spice seasoning powder mix will elevate and will make you want to keep going back for more pieces.

The bite-size fried chicken pieces are coated in sweet potato starch, and doubled fried for maximum crispiness. Every time I make this at home it fills my house up with the smell of delicious deep-fried chicken. I hit up a Hot Star recently and tried the popcorn chicken. This made me to want to make this at home. There is something about deep-fried chicken that is just a true hit with anyone. My kids love it because they get the crispy chicken chunks. I love it because I know it’s made with real chicken and I know what ingredients I am adding. 

Why make this?

Kids will love this. These fried chicken thighs will be a sure hit with the kids. If they enjoy eating nuggets from that famous golden arch fast-food joint, they will devour this and will be asking for more!

Not spicy. This recipe is not spicy and is perfect for all ages. However, it is easy to adjust it if you would like to make it spicy by adding some chili powder. 

Perfect finger food. These small bite-size popcorn chicken bites are the perfect snack or as an appetizer for a party you are hosting or attending. Bring this to any party and they will be gone fast!

Why we love this recipe?

Extra flavorful. Not only is the chicken marinaded in an awesome blend of spices and seasoned with a amazing and full flavor seasoning powder

Juicy and tender. Rather than using chicken breast which will dry out much easier this recipe uses chicken thighs. The dark meat with some of the fat will keep it moist and juicy inside.

What is Taiwanese Fried Chicken?

Taiwanese popcorn chicken is a famous Taiwanese street food. It has risen in popularity in many countries becoming a popular appetizer for many Asian restaurants. I have been to numerous boba tea shops and will see it on the menu as a snack. No doubt this is an essential dish to enjoy with your boba drink.

Usually, the chicken used is chicken thighs cut into small bite-size pieces. Coated with sweet potato starch, there are alternatives like corn starch and tapioca starch. But sweet potato starch will make the crispiest popcorn chicken. Use what you have on hand. 

Ingredients, variations and adjustments

Chicken and marinade

chicken thighs. Chicken thighs will make a juicier and tender popcorn chicken compared to using white meat. However, white meat can still be used but it will dry out if overcooked. If you have chicken breast cut the pieces smaller .75-inches so that it cooks faster in the oil. Reduce the frying time to 3-4 minutes instead of 4-5 minutes. 

five-spice powder. Five spice powder is a mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and fennel. Commonly used in Chinese cuisine and has a little bit of sour, sweet, bitter, salty and savory flavors. Find this powder at your local supermarket, I have seen this in major grocery stores in the spice aisle. 

light soy sauce. I like to use light soy sauce for this recipe to keep the chicken white. It still adds saltiness to the chicken without making the chicken dark. Substitute with coconut aminos if you cannot use soy sauce. It has the same consistency and color, but will not be as salty

garlic. Minced the garlic and add it gives the chicken a garlicky flavor. If you have garlic powder on hand you can add ½ tsp to marinate.

white pepper. White pepper has a pungent flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. 

black pepper. I only use a little bit of black pepper but it will give off a little bit of spicy heat.

salt. Adds more flavor. Adjust to your preference.

sesame oil. Sesame oil will add a nutty and smokiness flavor to the chicken. 

sugar. Will add sweetness to the chicken. There are quite a bit of salty seasoning so this will help balance the flavor.

shaoxing cooking wine. Shaoxing cooking wine is darker and has a more complex flavor. If you don’t have it on hand you can also use Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry

egg. Only egg white is used and this will help the starch to cling to the chicken.

For frying

cornstarch.  I like to mix the coating with 50% cornstarch. Cornstarch will give the coating a really nice crispiness when fried in oil. If you want to get super crispy popcorn chicken substitute the cornstarch with all sweet potato and add egg whites to the cornstarch.

sweet potato starch or tapioca starch. For the other 50% of the coating, I like to use sweet potato starch or tapioca starch. I like to use it cause when you mix it with wet hands the sweet potato starch or tapioca starch will create beads in the coating. This will create pieces of crunch rather than a smooth coating of crispy outside.

Thai Basil. This is optional and it makes for a very pretty plate of popcorn chicken. The crispy Thai basil does not add much flavour to the actual chicken. The crispy basil does have a refreshing crunch to it. If you are tight on time you can leave the Thai basil out.

Oil. I use canola oil to shallow fry my chicken. Feel free to use any oil you have that is neutral such as vegetable, peanut or grapeseed oil.

Seasoning Powder

five-spice powder. Add this to the seasoning powder to give it a balance of all 5 flavors sour, sweet, bitter, salty and savory. 

salt. Gives a salty flavor to the exterior of the popcorn chicken. The starch used does not have any seasoning so it’s important to not skip the salt.

white pepper. I like adding white pepper to give the seasoning a nice balance.

Kitchen Equipment for this Recipe

strainer Spider. Use this to drain the oil off the chicken if you don’t have a rack. 

splatter. The splatter is a lifesaver when frying Thai basil. When you toss the basil in the hot oil it will immediately splash. To reduce injury make sure to use a splatter and have it semi-on top of the pan.

air Fryer. Air frying is a healthier way to make popcorn chicken. When I want to make a quick Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken on a weeknight I like to use the air fryer to have a quick 30 minute meal ready. If you are looking for other air fryer recipes check out my Vietnamese Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe.

How to make Taiwanese Fried Chicken – Deep fried

Step 1. Trim fat and cut to size. This is an optional step. Trim some of the fat off the chicken thighs. If you prefer a juicier fried chicken you can leave it on. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces.

Step 2. Marinade. In a medium bowl combine the chicken thigh pieces, five spice, light soy sauce, minced garlic, white pepper, black pepper, salt, sesame oil, sugar, egg white and Shaoxing cooking wine. Mix until all the chicken thigh pieces are well coated. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is recommended so the flavor is absorbed into the meat.

Step 3. Combine the seasoning powder. Combine the five-spice, salt, white pepper and Sichuan peppercorns. Set aside.

Step 4. Coat the chicken thighs. Combine the cornstarch and tapioca starch in a shallow plate. Dredge the marinaded chicken thighs. Be generous with the coating the pieces so you can get an extra crispy piece when fried.

Step 5. Heat the oil. Take a pan and add the oil and bring it to 350 Degrees F. I leave it at medium-high heat.

Step 6. Deep fry. In small batches add the pieces slowly without splashing the oil. Do not overcrowd or your chicken will not crisp up resulting in limp and super oily popcorn chicken. Fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Removed with a slotted spoon and let the oil drip. Either use a paper towel or a rack to let it cool. Repeat this 2-3 times.

Step 7. Double fry (Optional Step). Once all the chicken pieces have been deep fry. Double fry to get a crispier chicken. Toss the chicken in the batch and deep fry for 2 minutes. Do not overcook otherwise it may burn.

Step 8. Deep fry Thai Basil. Take the basil and toss it into the hot oil. Deep fry for 15-20 seconds or until they are crispy and still green. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on top of a paper towel to absorb most of the oil.

Step 9. Coat with seasoning powder. Toss the fried popcorn chicken in a large bowl and coat them with the seasoning powder. Add as much or as little of the seasoning mix.

Step 10 Plate and top with fried Thai basil. Plate the fried chicken and top it with the fried Thai basil. Enjoy!

How to make Taiwanese Fried Chicken – Air Fryer

Follow all the steps above from Step 1 – Step 4

Preheat the air fryer. Set the air fryer to 400°F and preheat. 

Cook the chicken. In smaller batches add the coated chicken pieces in to the air fryer and spray with oil spray. Make sure to not overcrowd so the chicken will crisp up. Air fry for 5 minutes per side, flip and let it cook. Once all the chicken pieces are cooked add the Thai Bail and let it air fry for 2-3 minutes or until they have crisped up but not burnt.

Follow Step 9 – 10

Success Tips for making the best Taiwanese Fried Chicken

Double fry. To get the extra crispy fried chicken double fry will get the extra crispy popcorn chicken. Once you have finished frying the first round add the chicken back and let it fry for 1-2 minutes. You want a light golden-brown color.

Coat the chicken thighs well. Chicken thighs have many crevices and cracks so get that starch in between so that when it is fried its extra crispy. This is also the trick to get bigger popcorn chicken pieces once they are deep fried. 

Wash and dry the Thai basil. Ensure the basil is dry. I use paper down and really whip it down to reduce the oil splash when tossing the bail in the hot oil. 

Recipe FAQs

Why are the fried chicken pieces not crisping up?

The key is using the correct starch/flour to coat the chicken thigh. If you use anything else except cornstarch, sweet potato flour/starch or tapioca starch the chicken will not crisp up well.

What is the difference between Chinese Vs Korean Vs Taiwanese fried Chicken?

Fried chicken is a popular dish to enjoy all around the world. Commonly the difference would be the seasoning and how Chinese, Korean and Taiwanese fried chicken is marinated with different ingredients and seasonings.

The seasoning powder is also distinct. Taiwanese popcorn chicken is coated with a dry seasoning powder whereas a Korean fried chicken can be coated with a stick wet sauce. Ultimately every type of fried chicken has its own right and will taste amazing

What is the difference between sweet potato flour and sweet potato starch?

The sweet potato flour and starch are the same thing. The term flour and starch are interchangeably used. If you see flour or starch they will both work for this recipe.

How to serve

These are great snack or appetizers for any party or get-together. Enjoy these with a nice cold beer or boba tea.

How to store

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 

How to reheat

To maintain its crispiness heat it up in the oven at 375°F for at least 8-10 minutes.

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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This matcha brownie is made with white chocolate and will surely be a crowd-pleaser. The bright vibrant green colored dessert is soft, chewy and delicious. The ingredients are simple and easy-to-follow instructions will guarantee a perfect dessert. 

I’ve been getting really into matcha and baking. Ever since I got my oven it’s so easy to turn it on and bake up something in a jiffy. Today was no different and wanted to use up my ceremonial matcha powder. The earthy matcha green tea powder is very vibrant and will guarantee a bright green brownie. I love adding it to many baking recipes like cookies, cakes and pastries. This brownie recipe is no different and it turned out so good! If you love matcha, make sure to check out these recipes matcha puff pastry Christmas tree, matcha cookies

Since this recipe uses white chocolate it should really be called a blondie, but honestly, I didn’t even know what a blondie was until I started to get into baking. Let’s just keep calling it a brownie.

Why make it?

Great for parties. The perfect treat for parties. These brownies can be served at any party or get-together and you can eat them with your hands. 

Matcha powder tastes great. The earthy matcha powder will add a whole new level of flavor to your brownie. This will elevate and make these brownies taste heavenly.

Under 1 hour recipe. Enjoy these brownies in under 1 hour. There is no proofing or wait time.

Why you will love this recipe

Shiny paper-thin crust. The shiny paper-thin crust will give the brownies a nice crunch. It has a nice balance of moist, soft and crunch.

Moist and soft. The brownies will come out moist and soft. The texture of a brownie will be perfect, not too dry or fudgy. 

Not too sweet. These brownies are a perfect balance between earthy and sweet. It is not overly sweet. 

What is matcha powder and what grade should I use?

In order to get a vibrant and bright green color it is necessary to use ceremonial-grade matcha powder. If you use culinary grade the brownies will turn out brown and muddy looking. I highly recommend buying the best quality matcha powder to get an eye-catching brownie. I use Sugimoto Tea – Organic Ceremonial Matcha

Ingredients, Variations & Adjustments

white sugar. White sugar is “dry” so it will create a chewier texture brownie.

brown sugar. Brown sugar has molasses and is “wet” and will make a fudgy brownie. The equal portion of sugar will create a nice balance of chewy and fudgy brownies.

eggs. The eggs will give the brownies a nice cakey texture and use the best quality you can buy at the grocery store. Make sure to use room-temperature eggs so it mixes and blends in with the sugar when mixing in the stand mixer.

unsalted butter. Add the butter to give the brownies a cakey texture. Take out of the fridge to allow it to soften a head of time. I brown the butter on the stove top for about 8-10 minutes on medium low. The goal is to get the foam on the top and the little brown bits on the bottom. This will require you to watch the pot. It can easily burn if left unattended.

all-purpose flour. The key to getting a perfect texture brownie is using a scale to measure exactly ¾ cups of flour. In metrics weight that 94 grams. By weighing the flour it ensures you don’t add too much flour which will bake a dry and thick brownie. If you don’t have kitchen scale the next best approach is to use a spoon and spoon the flour. This will ensure it is not over-packed in the measuring cup.

ceremonial grade Matcha Powder. I can not stress the importance of using high-quality matcha powder if getting the vibrant green color is important to you. I highly recommend using ceremonial grade for any occasion where you are bring to a party because it will yield a bright green color. If you are baking for yourself to enjoy I would suggest using culinary grade. The cost is quite different between the different grades of matcha powder. Ceremonial grade matcha powder is more expensive.

white chocolate. I buy melting white chocolate so it melts easily when adding the brown butter. Using white chocolate will bring out a bright green color. If dark or milk chocolate is used the mixture of colors will make a dark muddy colored brownie.

vanilla extract. Enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients.

salt. Similar to vanilla extract it will enhance and highlight the flavors of all the ingredients.

baking powder. Adding the baking powder will lift the brownies and help give the texture of the brownies a cakier result.

Equipment

Smart Oven. I use my Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro to bake all my baked goods. The oven will work perfectly fine but this machine appliance has changed how I bake and cook all my meals and baked goodies.

Square baking pan. The best size to use is a 9 X 9-inch baking pan. I recommend the OXO Good Grips Non-stick Pro Cake Pan Square 9 X 9 inches.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer. To get a nice brown shiny crust on top using an electric mixer will help get those results. If you want to mix the sugars and eggs well. I own the KitchenAid stand mixer and hand mixer.

Kitchen Scale. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the all-purpose flour is the easiest way to make sure the brownies come out moist and soft. When you scoop the all-purpose flour fit really packs it in, therefore there is more flour than needed. Weight to 94 grams. I use m kitchen scale

How to make my brownies

Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking dish with parchment paper.

Brown butter. Take a small saucepan and brown the butter on medium heat until all the butter is melted. Turn down to low heat until little brown bits show up on the bottom of the saucepan. 

Melt white chocolate. Put the white chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the browned butter over. Stir until all the white chocolate melts. Set aside.

Mix the wet ingredients. Mix the sugar and room-temperature eggs in a stand mixer or hand mixer for roughly 5 minutes. Once you achieve a nice light creamy colored mixture add the vanilla extract and mix for 3 minutes. Add the white chocolate and browned butter to the wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated.

Add dry ingredients to wet. Sift the all-purpose flour and matcha powder. Add the all-purpose flour and matcha powder, baking powder and salt to the wet ingredients and use a spatula to gently fold the flour into the mixture.

Pour into baking pan. Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch X 9-Inch baking pan (If you have 8-inch X 8-inch pan that works too).

Bake. Bake for 20-21 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from the baking pan and cutting them. Enjoy with a glass of milk!

Success Tips to make the best Matcha Brownies

Mix the sugar and eggs. To get the shiny brown crust on top the key is to mix the sugar and room temperature eggs for at least 5 minutes in the stand mixer. If you are using a hand mixer at least 8-10 minutes. Aim for a light cream colors batter that doubles in size.

Ceremonial grade matcha. Use ceremonial grade matcha otherwise, you will be left wondering why the brownies came out brownish colored. I’ve used culinary-grade matcha powder for my baked recipes and they turn out dull colored. 

Weigh or spoon the all-purpose flour. Use a kitchen scale to get an accurate amount of flour. Alternatively, spoon it into a measuring cup to get the right amount of flour for this recipe.

Sift the dry ingredients. No clumps means that you won’t bite into a brownie with a chunk of dry flour and matcha. It will always make sure the color of the matcha brownies is consistent.

Let it cool. Cool the brownies for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting into it.

Underbake. Underbaking will ensure the brownies come out soft and moist. You also don’t want to overbake otherwise the crust on the top will be too thick.

Recipe FAQs

Can I add white chocolate chips to the matcha brownies?

Yes. Add some white chocolate chips after folding the all-purpose flour and matcha powder. 

Why are the brownies not cooked in the center?

If the center of the brownies comes out undercooked make sure your oven is evenly baking the brownies. You may need to bake for an extra few minutes, but be sure to not oven bake otherwise they will come out dry.

Why did my brownies not come out with a shiny brown crust?

There are two reasons that the crust didn’t turn out. The brown and white sugar was not mixed well with the eggs. Or it was not baked long enough. Double check these two things have been done correctly.

How to serve

These will pair nicely with a cup of coffee, green tea, ube horchata or pandan milk.

The brownies are great for an afternoon snack or packing for the kids’ lunch. 

How to store

These matcha brownies will keep in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. 

How to freeze and thaw

Cut the brownies into squares and wrap each one in plastic wrap and wrap them with aluminum foil. When you are ready to eat take them out of the freeze and let them thaw at room temperature in the saran wrap/aluminum foil.

These will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer

Looking for other Asian-inspired baking recipes?

Check out my other baking recipes

Matcha white chocolate cookies

Matcha Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

Pate Chaud (Bánh Patê Sô)

Ube Cinnabon Rolls

Ube Mochi Donuts

Ube Brownies

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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These easy fluffy and soft ube cinnamon rolls from scratch are perfect for bringing to parties and get-togethers. Each cinnamon roll is extra soft and fluffy with the most delicious ube cinnamon swirl! What’s great is this eye-popping purple-colored-cinnamon roll is great for making ahead for holidays and last-minute invites to parties.

Every time I walked past a Cinnabon at the mall or the train station where I get off to head into the office I would smell the delicious cinnamon aroma that would just fill up

Why make this?

Gooey cream cheese frosting. The cream cheese frosting will add the gooey-ness to the buns so this recipe makes extra cream cheese frosting.

Taste better-than-Cinnabon. Sorry Cinnabon but these homemade ube cinnamon rolls are fresh and so fluffy and soft. You also don’t need to head out or drive out if you want to make some freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

Less sweet. This recipe uses less sugar than your typical cinnamon rolls recipe. Its versatile because the cream cheese frosting is quite sweet but you can spread as much or as little fo the frosting as your heart desires.

Why we love this recipe

Delicious and from scratch. If you love Cinnabons these will satisfy any cravings and they are made from scratch! They are so delicious and tasty.

Soft and Fluffy. These rolls with melt in your mouth. The extra cream that is added to absorb into the rolsl before baking is a game-changer. It will add extra fuffliness to them.

Freezer friendly rolls. These rolls can be made in advance and flash frozen so when you are ready to bake you can take them out and baked them when you want fresh ube cinnamon rolls.

What is ube?

Ube is a tuber and is commonly used in Filipino desserts. It is known as a purple yam and can be easily mistaken for a purple sweet potato or taro. The color of the yam is a deep purple and is used to bring out a bright purple color in many dishes. I’ve used ube in many of my desserts like ube brownies, ube mochi donuts, ube horchata, ube mochi waffles, ube crinkle cookies and ube milk bread.

Ingredients, variations, adjustments

milk. I use whole milk and slight warmed. The warm milk is used to activate the yeast. So don’t overheat or else it may kill off the yeast and it would rise. You can use alternative milks like almond or oat milk. I have not tried it but it will work.

egg. 1 large room-temperature egg creates a nice fluffy cake-like dough.

ube extract. I’ve used ube extract in many of my recipes. This will add that bright  purple color to the cinnamon rolls. I use McCORMICK Ube Flavor Extract or the Ube Extract by Butterfly.

unsalted butter. I prefer unsalted butter but you can also use salted. Make sure to soften the butter before adding to the stand mixer.

all-purpose flour. I know there are other types of flour that can be used to make this recipe which may yield a different result but I only buy all-purpose flour since it is so versatile for me. If measured properly either by scooping and levelling into a measuring cup or using a kitchen scale the results of the cinnamon rolls come out so good. 

granulated sugar. I use granulated sugar and I prefer my baked goods less sweet so I use less sugar in my recipe. It still yields a great taste since the frosting and cinnamon filling is sweetened.

salt. Elevates all the flavors from the other ingredients. It also helps control the yeast so don’t skip it.

instant dry yeast. Instant dry yeast is important for this recipe. You will get the dough to rise faster and there is less guesswork. I use Fleischmann’s Quick-RISE instant yeast. I could not find the Quick-Rise one but this RapidRise by Fleischmann’s will work as well. These come in 8-gram packages which is perfect for those who don’t bake often. If you have a large jar of Instant Yeast measure out 2 ¼ teaspoons for this recipe.

ube halaya jam. The jam is sweetened and used to mix in with the cinnamon filling. I use 1/3 cup for this recipe and it is not too super sweet. The cinnamon still comes out yet you will get a subtle flavor of ube. Look for this jam in Asian Supermarkets in the aisle where all the Filipino jarred products are. If you are not near an Asian supermarket you can find it here for the brand I use.

brown sugar.  The brown sugar will add a nice deep robust molasses sweetness to the cinnamon filling.

ground cinnamon. I use ground cinnamon. If you would like to add more cinnamon flavor I would suggest adding ½ tbsp of cinnamon.

heavy cream. The heavy cream is added once the rolls have proofed a second time in the baking pan. This is the secret to getting soft and fluffy rolls. Allow time for the cream to be absorbed into the dough. I have used half and half cream and it works as well. 

cream cheese. Let is soften before mixing. I use full-fat cream cheese to get that nice texture.

unsalted butter. For the cream cheese frosting mix when the unsalted butter is softened. 

vanilla extract. Enhances all the flavors in the frosting. 

salt. Enhances the flavors of all the ingredients in the frosting. Only a little bit needed.

confection sugar. This is what adds sweetness to the cream cheese frosting.

Kitchen Equipment for this Recipe

Oven. This Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro has been a life changer small appliance in my household. It has many features and one of them I love is the proof option. This makes rising my dough so easy as I live in a country where it gets very cold during the winter months. 

Stand Mixer. A stand mixer will speed up the mixing and kneading of the dough. I use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer and it makes baking easier and quicker. 

9-inch oven pan. A 9-inch pan is a right size to fit all 9 of the rolls. After it proofs up it will fill in all the gaps. 

Kitchen scale. Any baker will know that weighing dry ingredients will ensure your baked goodies will come out perfectly. Using a kitchen scale and measuring the in grams will yield a fluffy and soft cinnamon roll. It takes away the guesswork and having to spoon and level in the measuring cup

How to make Ube Cinnamon Rolls

Prepare the dough. Warm the milk and add to your stand mixer bowl and add the yeast. Stir and let it sit for a few minutes. Add eggs, butter and sugar and mix with the flat beater paddle attachment until well combined. Add in salt and 3 ¼ cup (406 grams) of all-purpose flour and mix using the beater paddle for 1 minute. Scrape the dough off the attachment and switch to the dough hook. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes.  *The dough should be slightly sticking to the side of the mixing bowl*

Proof the dough. Lightly spray oil in a large bowl. Use a spatula to transfer the dough from the mixing bowl to the greased bowl. Place the dough in a warm corner or I use the proofing setting on my oven and let it proof for 30 minutes. *The dough is ready when it has doubled in size. The time will vary depending on how warm the corner is. Avoid letting it rise too much otherwise, the rolls will be airy*

Prepare Ube Cinnamon Filling. In a small mixing bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and ube halaya jam mixing until well combined. Set aside.

Roll the dough out. Sprinkle a clean surface with flour. Turn out the dough onto the surface. Punch the air out of the dough. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a 15×12″ rectangle. You may need to stretch it so the corners are even.

Spread ube cinnamon filling. Use a spatula and evenly spread out the ube cinnamon filling over the whole dough rectangle.

Roll the dough. On the long end of the dough using both hands and start rolling the edge up and tightly tuck it in and roll it all the way until you get a nice long log.

Mark and cut into rolls. Mark the top of the log into equal third portions. Within those 1/3 portions mark equal third portions. There should be 9 equal markings. Use a sharp serrated knife or dental floss to cut the rolls.

Place in pan and let it rise. Grease the 9-inch pan and place the rolls 3 x 3. Let it rise for 30 minutes. I proof in my oven at 100 degrees. Let the rolls expand so its fills the empty space between the rolls.

Pour heavy cream over rolls. Once the rolls have proof more pour the heavy cream all over the top and let it absorb. 

Bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for 21-23 minutes. The top of the buns should be lightly browned.

Prepare cream cheese frosting. While the ube cinnamon rolls are baking prepare the cream cheese frosting. Using the KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer whip the soft butter, and cream cheese until it’s well blended. Add the vanilla extract, salt and confection sugar and blend until creamy texture.

Spread the frosting. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled ube cinnamon rolls.

Success Tips for making the best Ube Cinnamon Rolls

Use a scale to measure flour. When I first started baking I would use a measuring cup and scoop straight from the flour bag. The finished product was always a bit lacklustre and dense. Not until I started using a scale to measure. It is much more precise than measuring cups. If you want a fluffy and soft cinnamon roll using a scale is a must to get the perfect texture rolls.

Use dental floss to cut rolls. Using dental floss will guarantee each cut will be perfect and won’t squish those rolls flat with a dull knife. Any beginner can easily cut the rolls. 

Allow time to proof the dough. Patience is important to get a perfect textured roll. Depending on where you are located the time will vary. Look for the dough to double in size. If time is tight turn on the oven to 150 degrees and turn it off. Place the dough in the oven for 20-30 minutes to rise.

Use softened butter. Soften butter is used for all three parts of the ube cinnamon roll recipe. Be prepared and set the butter out so it softens to room temperature.

Warm milk. Slightly warming the milk will activate the yeast and get the dough to rise. Pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds. I use my baby bottle warmer since it’s handy. You can always duck the milk in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes.

How to Serve

Eat this freshly baked with a nice cup of pandan milk or for coffee lovers Pumpkin Spice Latte with Vietnamese Coffee.

How to store

These can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. If you do not plan to consume them all on the same day leave the cream cheese frosting off until you are ready to eat. Spread on the rolls when you are ready to eat and warm the whole roll in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

How to freeze

This recipe is great for making is ahead and freezing. Freeze the rolls after you have cut them. Flash freeze for 2 hours and place them in freezer bags and store them for up to 3 months.  

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

Follow me at CookwithChung on Pinterest to get a notification of all my latest recipes!

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!

This smooth and light ube horchata is a great drink to enjoy on a hot summer day. This Asian and Mexican fusion eye-popping purple-colored drink is great to bring to parties and get-togethers. Each sip is nutty and sweet!

I’ve been sort of obsessing over ube lately. Ube has been one of those ingredients that have been very intriguing to me. I love yams and sweet potatoes so naturally, I would gravitate to this delicious ingredient. I’ve used it in my ube mochi waffles, ube cinnamon rolls, ube mochi donuts and ube brownies.

Why make this?

Great for parties. This is a great dessert drink for a hot summer day. It can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator the night before you bring it. Just make sure to give a good mix before serving.

Asian/Mexican Fusion. The fusion of Mexican Horchata and Ube is so unique. You will be surprised at how amazing these two mix together to bring a silky and smooth drink that has subtle flavors of ube.

Why we love this recipe?

Ube flavor. The addition of the ube gives this drink a nice refreshing flavor. Ube is light and subtle and meshes well with the refreshing cold horchata. 

Bright purple color. The color of this drink is going to be the talk of the party if you bring this to get-togethers. 

What is horchata?

Horchata is (Pronounced or-CHAH-tah) a general name given to various plant-based drinks. Many of the types of drinks are soaked herbs, teas, rice, nuts and seeds. It has a lovely cinnamon flavor from the sticks

What does an ube horchata taste like?

I’ve lightly sweetened this recipe with condensed milk. I prefer my drinks less sweet. This drink is light, smooth and refreshing. With just one sip you will immediately release the most satisfying *aaahhhhh*.

It has a rice/almond taste and is creamy and full-bodied with a hint of ube flavor.

Ingredients, variations, adjustments

white rice. I used jasmine rice because it was the white rice I have readily available at home. It’s a long grain rice and creates a light flavor. Any type of rice will work like long grain, jasmine, basmati or short grain. Just make sure it is raw.

cinnamon sticks. I used Saigon cinnamon sticks because this was available at home. Feel free to use any cinnamon stick. If you don’t’ have cinnamon sticks at home cinnamon powder would work as well. I would use 1 tbsp to replace two sticks of cinnamon sticks.

almonds. I used whole almonds. Sliced almonds will work as well. Other nuts will work as well like tiger nuts, cashew or walnuts.

evaporated milk. The evaporated milk adds a milk-like color and texture to the horchata.

ube extract. I’ve added ube extract to many of my recipes. This is what gives the horchata the deep vibrant purple and flavor. I use 1 tablespoon to get the deep vibrant color. 

vanilla extract. Elevates all the flavor in this recipe.

condensed milk. I use half a cup in the mixture. Substitute with sugar or honey. Again, adjust to your preference. What’s great about this recipe is it is up to you how much added sugar you would like. 

Kitchen Equipment for this Recipe

Blender. Any blender will work. You may need to blend longer so the rice, almonds and cinnamon sticks are well blended. I use my Vitamix which takes less than 3 minutes to blend well.

Fine mesh strainer. Straining the mixture after it has blended will make the horchata even smoother. I use a fine mesh strainer like this one to remove larger pieces that didn’t blend well. 

How to make Ube Horchata

Soak the white rice, almonds and cinnamon sticks for a minimum of 6 hours. I like to soak the day before so the rice and cinnamon sticks are soft.

Once the ingredients are softened strain the ingredients. Dispose of the water.

In a blender add the soaked ingredients and evaporated milk and blend until smooth.

Use a fine mesh strainer and strain the blended mixture. Use a spatula to press down to squeeze out all the liquid.

Add the water, ube extract, vanilla extract and condensed milk. Mix until well blended.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve over ice. Adjust the condensed milk to your preference.

TIPS for this recipe

Soak for at least 6 hours. Planning this recipe is key to making sure you can get a perfect ube horchata drink ready. I always soak the rice, almonds and cinnamon sticks the night before I plan to drink it. This guarantees the horchata ingredients are soft and easy to blend.

Refrigerate. Once the horchata is ready refrigerate for 4 hours to get it nice and cold.  

Use a high-powered blender. Using a high-powered blender will blend all the ingredients very fine and make a nice and smooth horchata. 

How to Serve

I like to serve this cold so I refrigerate it for a minimum of 4 hours. Once it is cold I like to add some ice and adjust the sweetness level.

How to store

If you would like to make a big batch and serve it should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and consumed within 3 days. 

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

Follow me at CookwithChung on Pinterest to get all my latest recipes!

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!

These chewy-mochi-like rice balls are filled with lava-like nutty black sesame filling and are a delightful treat for many Chinese festivals. Tang yuan or glutinous rice balls are traditionally eaten during special Chinese festivals and enjoyed with a plain or sweetened soup or syrup. Let’s check out this recipe

What is Tang Yuan?

Tang yuan is a Chinese dessert that is shaped into a ball and can vary in size. It’s served in a hot soup or sweet syrup. They can also be filled with savory or sweet fillings. 

Why make these?

Freezable. These are great for making a big batch and freezing them so when you have a tang yuan craving just take them out of the freezer and boil them in the sweet syrup. Can have an amazing homemade dessert in less than 10 minutes.

Celebration. Traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year/Lantern Festival and everyone will enjoy these black sesame-filling glutinous rice balls.

Eye-catching color. The purple color rice balls are a nice contrast to the white ones. It’s very eye-catching and kids will love them.

Why I love this recipe?

Taste better than store-bought. These taste great and it is so fresh compared to the store-bought ones. You also know what ingredients go into the filling and can make adjustments.

Friends and family will love them. Taste great and will satisfy any sweet tooth. 

Versatile recipe. Glutinous rice flour is very forgiving when making dough. Using filling is optional and you can use various different fillings like peanuts or red bean paste.

Why do we eat tang yuan on Winter Solstice/Lantern Festival/Chinese New Year?

Tang yuan is generally eaten during Lantern Festival which is the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese Lunar Year.  It marks the final day of Chinese New Year celebrations. The word tang yuan is pronounced same the same as the word union in Chinese. Union represents togetherness and completeness.

Eating tang yuan can bring good luck. The sweetness from the syrup or filling would bring hopes of sweetness and joy. 

Equipment

Food processor. Food processor is used to grind the black sesame seeds into a course powder. I use the KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor but the KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Processor will work just as well.

I’ve used both and they both will grind it down easily.

Ingredients, Variations & Adjustments

Glutinous rice flour. Glutinous rice flour is a must to make the chewy like an outer wrap. Don’t get it mixed with rice flour. When shopping at Asian supermarkets you will see bagged rice flour in clear bags with printed labelling in red or green color. Look for the green color printed words or make sure to find the rice flour that is labelled glutinous.  Make sure not to use rice flour, the dough will not come out chewy and smooth.

Water. Water should be warm to create a nice smooth and plausible dough. 

Ube extract. I use ½ tsp of ube extract to get the purple color wrap. It also adds ube flavor to the tang yuan. 

Black sesame seeds. Black sesame seeds give this recipe an earthy, nutty flavor. The color of the filling is dark and contrasts the outer white and purple glutinous rice wrap. It is striking! The flavor is more intense than white sesame seeds. 

Unsalted butter. The butter needs to be softened before adding to the food processor. I prefer unsalted butter so the sweetness comes out better. 

Sugar. Graduated sugar adds sweetness to the sesame filling. I have used light brown sugar and it also works as well. I use ½ cup for this recipe because I want the filling to be sweet enough so I don’t need to make a sweetened syrup.

Ginger. Ginger gives it the nice kick of spice. Omit if you don’t like the flavor.

Pandan leaves. Use fresh or frozen panda leaves. Tie it in a knot so it fits in the pot. You can also use Pandan Syrup

How I make my tang yuan

Prepare the filling

1. Grind and Mix Filling. Add the black sesame seeds to your food processor and blend until the black sesame seeds are almost a coarse powder. Roughly 3-5 minutes depending on your food processor. Add the sugar and blend for 2 minutes on high. Once it is well blended add the softened unsalted butter and blend until well incorporated. Refrigerate the black sesame filling for 25-30 minutes.
2. Refrigerate filling. When the filling is hard take it out and divide it in to 20 equal portions. The black sesame filling weighed 220 grams (I divided them into 11-12 grams each). Roll them into balls and put them back in the fridge. 

Prepare the dough

1. Combined flour and water. Add the glutinous rice flour into a medium size bowl. Pour half the warm water and stir until all the water is absorbed. Add the second half and stir until all the water is absorbed into the flour.
2. Knead dough. Using your hands knead the dough until it’s well incorporated. The dough should be soft and smooth. Add more water if the dough is cracking and if the dough is too wet and sticky add more flour. 
3. Divide in half and mix ube extract. The total weight of my dough was 210 grams so I weighed half (Approximately 105 grams) and added the ube extract and knead the dough until the purple color was well mixed into the dough.
4. Portion out 20 rice balls. Take the white dough and divide it into 10 equal portions and roll them into balls. If using a scale weigh 10-11 grams for each rice ball. Repeat for the purple dough. You should have a total of 20 rice balls.

Assemble the tang yuan

1. Take out filling in batches. Work in batches with the black sesame fillings. Take out of the fridge 5 at a time while you assemble. This is to prevent the filling from melting.
2. Assemble. Flatten the rice ball in your hands by pressing your palms down. Using your thumb and make a slight dent in the centre so the sesame filling will sit snug use both sets of hands or use your fingers to gently wrap the edge up and around the top until it’s completely sealed. Alternatively, make a circle with your thumb and index finger and place the tang yuan in the middle and gently wrap it up. Both methods will work. Repeat until all of them have been assembled

Make the sweet broth

1. Boil ginger and pandan leaves. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the sliced ginger and pandan leaves and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sugar and let it simmer until the sugar has dissolved.

Cook

1. Cook tang yuan in sweet soup. Add the tang yuan to the water and gently stir so it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the tang yuan floats to the top it is ready. This will take about 4-5 minutes.
2. Serve. Serve with sweet ginger pandan soup.

Want to color the dough?

Here are some suggestions on what to use to color the dough naturally.

Pink. Use beetroot juice instead of water. 

Green. Add ¼ tsp matcha powder to get a green color dough. Pandan juice also works as well but the green will be light.

Orange. Use carrot juice instead of water. 

Yellow. Use pumpkin mixed in water. 

If you would like to make its easier you can use food coloring instead of natural ingredients.

PRO tips

Make the filling first. The filling requires 30 minutes in the fridge before wrapping to firm up the butter. This will make it easier to wrap and ensure there are no holes cracks or openings.

The dough consistency. What’s great about the dough is you can freely adjust it to get the necessary consistency to wrap the filling easily. You can add more water or glutinous flour when needed.

Freeze extra tang yuan immediately. If you have some leftovers freeze them immediately to prevent the tang yuan from cracking. Once you freeze it places them in a freezer-proof bag.

Recipe FAQs

Is it healthy?

Black sesame seeds are a great dietary fibre and have many beneficial nutrients and key vitamins.Healthline has more details on the health benefits.

Is it the same as mochi?

Glutinous rice balls are similar to mochi in texture, but the method of preparation is different. Glutinous rice balls are boiled and served with a liquid. 

It is very similar and uses the same sweet rice/glutinous rice flour. In my Ube Mochi Donuts and Ube Mochi Waffles recipe, I use sweet rice flour. It has a chewy and stretchy texture.

Why is the rice balls not sticking together?

My best guess is that the wrong type of rice flour was used to make this recipe. It is important to use the correct glutinous rice flour. If you use rice flour it will not stick.

My other guess is not enough water was added to the dough. I would suggest adding a little bit until the dough is smooth and plausible.

How to serve

If you are enjoying this recipe during Lunar New Year there are many Lunar New Year recipes that are traditionally made to enjoy with family and friends.

How to store

It is best to freeze uncooked tang yuan so the outer wrap does not dry up and crack. 

Cooked tang yuan should be consumed on the same day. The texture does not hold very well if consumed the next day.

How to cook frozen tang yuan

Boil in a pot of water or the sweet soup for an extra 2 minutes. Once you see it floating it’s a good indication that it is ready.

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Ube Mochi Donuts can be easily baked at home in the oven. Enjoy this lightly sweetened chewy donut with a condensed glaze. Made from scratch with ube halaya jam and ube extract. The sweet rice flour will make the donuts chewy on the inside and a light crisp on the outside. These will serve great at a party or can be easily enjoyed at home.

Why make these?

Quick & easy to bake. The donuts can be easily whipped up in under 1 hour. If you are in a pinch to satisfy a donut craving but don’t want to leave the house here is the perfect recipe. It will also fill your house with a sweet aroma similar to a vanilla marshmallow.

Purple donuts. Not many things come out baked purple. These ube mochi donuts will catch anyone’s attention once they lay their eyes on them. The best thing about this recipe is the purple color can be adjusted to your preference. If you want light lavender colors donut use half the suggested amount of ube extract. If you want a deep dark purple double up the ube extract amount.

Small batch recipe. This recipe will yield 6 donuts. The perfect amount for a 6 cavity donut mould. Or if you are only baking for 2 or a small family of 4-6 this recipe is perfect to make to enjoy the same day and/or to have a few for the next day.

Why we love this recipe?

Chewy mochi-like. Mochi is a unique texture food. It versatile to incorporate different flavors like ube, strawberry and matcha. The list is endless, to be honest! 

Ube flavored. The donuts are flavored with be halaya jam and ube extract. It has become more common to see ube and even Trader Joe’s has ube waffle/pancake premix on their shelves.

Unique. Ube flavored baked goods are rare to find in bakery shops. This recipe tastes great and is comparable to any unique flavored donut you will find in bakery shops. 

What is ube?

Ube has become more mainstream and is more commonly seen on many dessert menus now. Sometimes it is snice to be able to whip up a little sweet dessert at home without having the hassle to trek out and look for these ube desserts. In many smaller towns it is harder to find.

So what is ube? It’s a tuber and commonly called a sweet purple yam. It’s commonly seen in many desserts such as Ube Horchata, Ube Brownies, Ube Souffle Pancakes, Ube Pancakes, Ube Crinkle Cookies and Ube Milk Bread. 

What is mochi?

Mochi is made with short-grain glutinous rice or mochigome. It is pronounced MOE-Chee.

It is popular in Japan and tastes like rice. It has a unique texture and is sticky, stretchy and chewy. 

Mochi donuts originated in Japan and were popularized by Mister Donut. They introduced deep-fried pon de ring donuts. Which are little balls of mochi stuck together in a ring shape and deep-fried.

I tried mochi pon de ring donuts for the first time when I travelled to Hawaii and can’t stop thinking about them.

In my Ube Mochi Waffles recipe, I also use sweet rice flour and ube flavors to create a chewy and fluffy ube flavors waffle.

What does an ube mochi donut taste like?

These donuts have a lightly sweet and earthy flavor. If I had to tell you what ube tastes like the closest thing I could think of is a marshmallow. The donut also has coconut milk so the coconut flavor is also a perfect complement to the ube.

What makes a mochi donut different?

Mochi donuts are a hybrid between a chewy mochi and a cake donut. The use of glutinous rice flour will make a chewy donut versus using all-purpose flour.

Ingredients, variations and adjustments

Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour. Glutinous rice flour and sweet rice flour are the same. In my experience, I have only used Blue Star Koda Farms Mochiko Sweet Rice flour and it always makes a great mochi donut. Added bonus: It is gluten-free.

baking powder. The baking powder is used to increase the volume of the donuts. It also helps with the texture and keeps is airy.

salt. Enhances the ube and coconut flavors in the donut.

brown sugar. Brown sugar is best for this recipe because it keeps the donuts moist and soft.

unsalted butter. Use room-temperature butter it will mix easier in the stand mixer.

egg. eggs at room temperature will help bind the sugar in the mixer.

coconut milk. The coconut milk adds richness and coconut flavor. If you won’t have coconut milk you can use whole milk as well. I have personally not used anything other than coconut milk for this recipe.

ube extract. Ube extract is the ingredient that makes the donut purple. I use ¾ tsp of the ube extract and the donuts come out deep purple. Ube extract can be found at Asian supermarkets near all the spices and other artificial flavor extracts.

ube halaya jam. Ube halaya jam is a jam made with sweet purple yam. It can be purchased in Asian supermarkets near all the canned fruit and jarred sweetened. I use the kababyan brand but any ube halaya jam will work with this recipe. An alternative is to make your own ube puree with fresh sweet purple yam. I have not personally made these waffles with fresh purple yam so I wouldn’t know how to make it.

vanilla extract. Vanilla extract will enhance all the flavors of the other ingredients in this recipe. Especially the ube. Using artificial vanilla extract is fine as well.

Kitchen Equipment for this Recipe

Donut pan. A donut pan is a must for this recipe to get that round shape with a hole. They have 6 cavities and 12 cavities donut pans. 

KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Using a stand mixer speeds up the prep work and my KitchenAid Stand Mixer makes baking much more enjoyable because it’s so easy to use.

Mixing Bowls. These mixing bowls are great for baking. There is a small, medium and large bowl.

How to make Ube Mochi Donuts

Mix dry ingredients. In a small bowl combine the sweet rice flour, baking powder and salt.

Mix wet ingredients. In the stand mixer bowl whisk the butter, brown sugar and egg until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, ube halaya jam, ube extract and coconut milk until well combined.

Combined dry and wet ingredients. Slowly pour half the dry ingredients and mix at low setting on the stand mixer. Gradually add the remaining half and mix. Do not over-mix the batter.

Preheat Oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease the donut pan. Spray with a neutral oil spray in each of the donut cavities. Using a spatula scoop the batter into each of the donut cavities. Fill each one until it’s 90% full and use the spatula to remove any air bubbles.

Bake. Bake on the middle rack for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Make the glaze.  In a medium bowl whisk ¼ cup of confection sugar with 1 tbsp of whole milk and add the remaining ¼ cup of confection sugar. Add 1/2 tbsp of whole milk and whisk until it’s smooth. Once the glaze is smooth consistency add the ube extract and whisk until well incorporated. The glaze should have the same consistency as glue.

Glaze donuts. Once the donuts have cooled dip the top of the donuts (This would be the side that was facing down in the donut baking pan) and flip it up. Place the glazed donuts back onto the cooling rack. Let the first coat of glaze harden slightly. I give it 5 minutes and dip the donuts once again to get a thicker layer of glaze.

TIPS for this recipe

Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour. This is the only brand of sweet rice flour I use. I have not tried to use glutinous rice flour to make this so I won’t know if it will turn out the same.

Fill the donut cavities 90%. Filling the donut cavities to 85%-90% full will make a nice donut shape when you remove them from the mould. When they are too full the donuts come out shaped like a wide bell. If this happens take a pair of scissors and cut the wider edges off. 

Oil the donut cavities. This will make it easier to take out of the mould.

Use Spatula to fill the batter into the mould. The consistency of the batter will be thick. I used my spatula to spoon and fill in the donut cavities. Make sure to get all the air bubbles out before baking.

Double-dip the donuts into the glaze. In order to get a nice coat of glaze the donuts will need to be dipped twice. The first dip of glaze gets absorbed into the donut. 

How to Serve

The donuts will go great with a cup of coffee or pandan milk. If you are enjoying this in the fall try it with this Pumpkin Spiced Latte with Vietnamese Coffee

How to Store

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Take them out at least 1 hour before eating to bring them to room temperature.

Recipe FAQ

Can these be frozen?

Short answer is no. The mochi donuts are meant to be eaten within three days and freezing them will change their texture of the mochi donuts. 

Can the batter be stored if I want to make it ahead?

Yes, the batter can be made ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Take it out so it comes to room temperature before baking it. At least 2 hours on the counter.

Why isn’t the top of the donuts rising?

Don’t worry the donuts won’t rise like your traditional baked desserts. These will bake and rise slightly and when removed from the oven it will deflate

Why did the donuts come out like a bell shape?

The donut mould was filled too much. 85%-90% full will ensure you don’t’ waste batter and have to cut the donuts into a donut shape.

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

Follow me at CookwithChung on Pinterest to get notifications of my new recipes!

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!