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Home / Cuisine / Nyonya / Bubur Cha Cha

Bubur Cha Cha

By: 👩‍🦳 Linda · Published: 🖨 October 4, 2016 · Updated: 💻May 8, 2021 · 🗨 1 Comment

Recipe ▼

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying.

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

When the temperature dips, there is no dessert more satisfying than a bowl of warm, sweet soup like Bubur Cha Cha. The different types of tubers provide texture and color, while pandan leaves give it a light, sweet fragrance. Coconut milk makes the sauce rich and creamy and sago helps thicken it. If you ask me, I will say this truly is a winning combination of ingredients.

Tropical Fruits Used in Bubur Cha Cha

Some Bubur Cha Cha also come with tropical fruits like banana, plantain, nangka (jackfruit), and even durian. It is a matter of preference but these fruits are all compatible with the coconut based sauce. In our family, we sometimes add one of these fruits but seldom do we include colored tapioca jelly in the mix.

Milky White Sauce

In this version, I purposely left the sauce a milky white color by using granulated sugar. Sometimes, I like to use gula Melaka (palm sugar) in place of granulated sugar for a caramel colored sauce like this version on Roti n Rice. You can try both versions to see which one you prefer.

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

I am not sure how the name Bubur Cha Cha came to be, but it sure sounds like a happy kind of dessert. It has nothing to do with dancing but it certainly is a colorful, sweet, and fragrant dessert. It is all natural too with no food coloring unless you choose to put in colored tapioca jelly.

Colorful Sweet Potatoes

Mom likes to use the three colors of sweet potatoes – purple, orange, and yellow in her Bubur Cha Cha. I don’t think I have ever seen yellow sweet potatoes here but I was delighted to find purple sweet potatoes (known as purple yam here) recently. Not to worry if you only have access to one color of sweet potatoes. Rest assured, it will not affect the taste negatively in any way. Do give it a try.


Similar Tools Used in Making This Bubur Cha Cha

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.

Calphalon Contemporary Hard-Anodized Saucepan with Steamer Insert, 4 1/2-quart
Ballarini Parma Forged Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set, 7-Piece, Granite
Strainer with Stainless Steel Loop Handle, 7-Inch

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
Print Pin Rate

Bubur Cha Cha

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying.
Author : Linda Ooi
Course : Dessert
Cuisine : Malaysian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 560kcal

Ingredients
 

  • ¼ cup black eyed peas (mei tau) (40g)
  • ½ lb purple yam (peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes) (225g)
  • 2 small taro (peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes) (8 oz/225g)
  • 1 medium sweet potato (peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes) (8 oz/225g)
  • 2 tbsp sago or tapioca pearls (20g)
  • 2 cups water (480ml)
  • ½ cup sugar (110g)
  • 2 pandan leaves (screwpine), shredded and knotted
  • 1 can coconut milk (400ml)
  • 1 large firm banana (peeled and cut at a diagonal into ¼ inch thick slices)
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and soak black eyed peas in hot water for about 15 minutes. Drain. Boil for 25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain.
    Bubur Cha Cha-7
  • Steam cubed purple yam, taro, and sweet potato for 5 minutes.
    Bubur Cha Cha-6
  • Boil sago (or tapioca pearls) for 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch.
    Bubur Cha Cha-8
  • Combine water, and knotted pandan leaves in a medium sized pot. Stir to dissolve or melt sugar.
    Bubur Cha Cha-9
  • Add steamed purple yam, taro, sweet potatoes, banana, black eye peas, sago, coconut milk, and salt.
    Bubur Cha Cha-10
  • Bubur Cha Cha-11
  • Cover and bring coconut sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Turn off the stove. Serve warm in individual bowls.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @MalaysianChineseKitchen or tag #MalaysianChineseKitchen

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

Bubur Cha Cha, a popular Malaysian coconut based dessert with yam, taro, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and bananas. Very delicious and satisfying. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
1.1K shares

Categories: 🗂 Nyonya, Sweet Soups, Video Recipes Tags: 📋 banana, purple yam, sweet potatoes, taro

About Linda

Linda is a food writer and photographer who hails from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She now lives in Wyoming, USA. Her other blogs are Roti n Rice and Tea Tattler.

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Comments

  1. Rosina A Khan says

    March 13, 2019 at 7:24 am

    Enjoyed eating it. A bit sweet

    Reply

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