The All-Natural Food That's Turning Everything PURPLE
In the wake of its surge in popularity, here's everything you need to know about ube.
There aren't many naturally purple foods in the world, but recently the foodie community has discovered this previously overlooked treasure. It's called ube, or technically dioscorea alata, or just simply purple yam.
Yep. It's a yam! But, as the Phillippines discovered quite a long time ago, it can make a delicious and quite magical-looking dessert.
Where does it come from?
Ube originates from the Asian tropics. For people living there, since ancient times even, it's been a quite normal part of their diets. It's most notably the main ingredient in ube halaya, a Philippine dessert similar to a sort of custard or jam – only radiantly purple, of course!
The yam has been naturalized throughout Australia, Africa, South America, and certain parts of the US, with various names attributed to it in each of these places. ("Ube" is how it's known in the Philippines.) And, with the help of Instagram and other social networks, it's exploded into the wider food world as a trendy new ingredient for anything from ice cream, to tarts, to cookies and cakes.
What does it taste like?
Ube has its own unique flavor, so it's impossible to describe it and do it full justice. However, people generally agree that it has hints of vanilla, coconut, white chocolate, and pistachio. So imagine something along those lines and you at least have an idea to go on until you actually try it for yourself – which we highly recommend you do!
Where can you find it?
Your best bet for finding Ube is in an Asian supermarket. Although it can come in fresh, frozen, or flour forms, you're most likely to find it frozen in most stores.
Many restaurants and ice cream parlors have also started featuring ube-flavored sweets. It's well worth doing a bit of internet searching to figure out if there's someplace near you that has added this new special to their menu or is offering a limited edition purple dessert.
Still skeptical? Just search #ube on Instagram. You can thank us later!
So what do you think: are you ready to taste ube for yourself?!
Have a bit of a sweet tooth? Here are 20 desserts you simply must try before you die.
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