Best Ube Recipes Ever (2024)

FAQs

What flavor pairs well with ube? ›

It pairs perfectly with the taste of coconut, which is why so many Filipino desserts are a combination of ube and macapuno (the abnormally soft flesh of mutant coconuts).

Ube can be found in many places in the Philippines, but we were told that the best varieties come from Bohol. San Miguel Corporation buys its ube exclusively from there. The ube jam we buy from Good Shepherd in Baguio is also made from ube harvested in Bohol. The most delicious variety is locally called kinampay.

The difference between ube and purple sweet potato is that ube is a yam instead of a sweet potato. This means that the skin of the ube is rough and bark-like instead of thin and smooth like that of the purple sweet potato.

Taro has a starchy, slightly sweet flavor and is often used as a substitute for potatoes, while ube has a sweet, nutty flavor and is used primarily in desserts and sweet dishes. Last January, we debuted an ube crema to our menu. Just like our regular crema, this adds a hint of ube flavor to any drink you desire.

Fresh ube is often prepared and cooked like a potato — heated until it is soft. Like white potatoes, ube contains some toxins when raw, so it should always be thoroughly cooked. It can be prepared in a variety of ways: boiled, baked, mashed, or fried.

Folk medicine has used ube to treat the symptoms of menopause, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and infertility. In traditional Chinese medicine, diosgenin (the tuber storage protein of ube) is extracted from wild yam and used to treat kidney and liver problems.

In Filipino culture, ube is not just a food but also a symbol of Filipino resilience and adaptability. Even during challenging times, the ube plant thrives, much like the Filipino spirit.

Purple yams, or ube, are nutritious, versatile, and starchy root vegetables. They are loaded with antioxidants that may help reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Furthermore, raw ube is toxic, so it's essential to cook it well before adding it to a recipe. Once ube is cooked, however, it's an ideal ingredient for many culinary applications.

Is ube Filipino or Japanese? ›

Ube, meaning tuber in Tagalog, is a purple yam originally from the Philippines. Different than the purple sweet potato, it has an even sweeter, more mellow taste than its orange relative.

Although both veggies are very close in fiber, protein, vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are the healthier option because they are lower in overall calories, lower in carbohydrates, and higher in beta carotene (vitamin A).

Dioscorea alata – also called purple yam, ube (/ˈuːbɛ, -beɪ/), or greater yam, among many other names – is a species of yam (a tuber). The tubers are usually a vivid violet-purple to bright lavender in color (hence the common name), but some range in color from cream to plain white.

Ube halaya lends a sweet, earthy flavor and sticky texture, while ube extract imparts a pop of nuttiness.

Is Ube Safe for Dogs? If the ube has been properly prepared (boiled or steamed), it is perfectly safe for dogs to eat. Feeding a large amount in one go will likely lead to gastrointestinal upset or discomfort, so don't go too crazy.

For a simple way to dip into your Ube Spread stash, use it to top pancakes like TikTok user @doll_legs did. The spread is a great substitute for maple syrup on any type of pancakes, and works as a sweet waffle or French toast topper as well. Add some homemade whipped cream and sliced fruit for a really decadent meal.

Ube is a type of purple yam native to Southeast Asia. It's a prized ingredient in Filipino cuisine, used in both traditional desserts like ube halaya (a pudding-like dessert) and kakanin (rice cakes), and modern desserts like cakes, cookies, and ice cream.

An ube matcha latte is a creamy and colorful beverage that marries the lavender-purple hues of ube (purple yam) with the calming and verdant tones of matcha green tea. This combination creates a harmonious blend of earthy and slightly nutty flavors from the ube, and the floral and earthy notes of the matcha.