A Scientist in the Kitchen

What’s cooking in Gen San

Haleyang ube ala UPLB

Posted on | December 31, 2007 |

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Purple yam is a type of yam that has a very distinct violet color and is popular in the Philippines. We call it ube in the Philippines. It is cooked with milk and sugar and is eaten as a sweetened dessert called haleyang ube which has a bright violet color. It is an ingredient for halo-halo, a favorite Filipino dessert during the summer. While the tuber is seasonal, Filipinos get to enjoy ube-flavored ice cream all year round. When in the Philippines, you might come across a purple-colored ice cream, that’s it! That’s ube ice cream.

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Ube is not often sold in the market so haleyang ube is usually served on special occasions. This Christmas, my sister receive ube powder developed by the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB), my alma mater. So I wasted no time in making haleyang ube for the holiday cooking. Typically, haleyang ube is made from mashed ube, so you have to boil the ube tuber till soft then mash it which could take some time and is really tiring. You mix the mashed ube with milk, sugar and a bit of butter and cook slowly till the mixture is thickened. That’s why I was happy to receive the ube powder - no more boiling and mashing ube till my arms ache!

With the ube powder, think of all the possibilities! Not just the haleya, but I have some rice desserts I would like to try out with ube flavor. Or perhaps homemade ice cream! Yummy!

Haleyang Ube

50 grams ube powder
3/4 cup milk
condense milk (add according to your preferred sweetness)
2 tbsp butter

Here’s how to it:

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1. Mix ube powder and milk. Add condense milk according to your preferred sweetness. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.

2. Melt butter in a pan. Add the ube-milk mixture and stir constantly. Use low heat. Continue stirring until mixture has thickened.

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3. Place in a molder that has been lined with butter. Cool down and refrigerate a few hours before serving.

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Never to early for Weekend Herb Blogging! Cheers to Kalyn for making this event possible and for hosting this week’s edition!

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Comments

10 Responses to “Haleyang ube ala UPLB”

  1. Lalaine
    December 31st, 2007 @ 5:35 am

    Gay,
    It’s so interesting that back in the Philippines, it is a treat ( relief) to make halayang ube from powder. Here in the US, because powder is mostly all there is, I miss having the fresh, real kind!

  2. A scientist in the kitchen
    December 31st, 2007 @ 2:16 pm

    The problem with fresh ube is that it is not always available in the market. At least the ube powder is really made from pure ube.

    Happy New Year, Lalaine! Am just taking a breather then back to the kitchen for our media noche preparations.

  3. Michelle
    January 2nd, 2008 @ 4:38 pm

    hi can i add you? I also have a passion for cooking. i got your blog from connie of pinoycook

    Thanks

  4. A scientist in the kitchen
    January 3rd, 2008 @ 3:26 am

    Hi Michelle, that would be great. I’m adding your site as well to my blog. Thanks!

  5. Kalyn
    January 3rd, 2008 @ 3:53 am

    Wow, very interesting! I love the color. I never heard of this type of purple yam before. In the U.S. a lot of the stores mistakenly called orange sweet potatoes by the name “yams” but from food blogging I have learned that they aren’t true yams. I doubt if I’ve ever eaten a true yam, would love to taste it.

  6. Jeena
    January 5th, 2008 @ 9:03 pm

    Hi there you have such a lovely blog. Great recipes they really do look so delicious, purple yams look amazing. I have a blog also here is my link Food Recipes

    Let me know if you would like to exchange links. Thanks Jeena x

  7. Anna
    January 10th, 2008 @ 6:28 am

    this is really intriguing! and the colour is lovely. will have to try and hunt down that ube powder.

  8. What UP, Los Baños? » Happy holidays from Los Baños!!!
    February 1st, 2008 @ 6:23 am

    [...] not the haleyang ube itself but the ube powder I used for this recipe is made by the Food Science people at [...]

  9. Manang
    January 31st, 2009 @ 11:05 am

    Siguro mas masarap yang powder na yan kesa yung nabili ko dito…
    I ended up preferring to cook the grated ube rather than prepare haleya using powder.

  10. Narin
    May 3rd, 2009 @ 2:39 pm

    You can buy these purple yams in the U.S. They sell them at Asian stores. In the city of Santa Ana, or Westminster, California.

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