ube, that purple thing
spoiler: yes, it is a vegetable!
ube is a purple yam from the philippines known for its beautiful purply color and unique flavor. it is a nutrient-dense vegetable with more antioxidants than blueberries that boasts a sweet nutty taste with hints of vanilla and pistachio. ube is often used to create a variety of desserts in the philippines, including its most popular forms - ube halaya (purple yam jam), ice cream, cakes, and of course, cookies!
beyond its increasing popularity all over the world, ube is deeply rooted in filipino traditions making it a symbol of both flavor and heritage.
It is not just another hype, it is here to stay!
the real ube from the Philippines
because of its increasing popularity, ube is often mistaken with its other close relatives - taro and the purple sweet potato.
ube v purple sweet potato v taro
- color: ube has a more vibrant and deep purple color. Purple sweet potato is often lighter and taro is usually predominantly white
- flavor and texture: ube has a subtle sweet, nutty flavor and is creamier when cooked. Purple sweet potato is less sweet and a bit more dense but also creamy when cooked while taro has a milder flavor and is starchiest of all three.
- use: ube is often used in desserts while taro and purple sweet potato can be used in both sweet and savory dishes
- geographic location: the real ube is often from the Philippines (although neighboring South East Asian countries are now growing ube too) while Taro is found in a lot of tropical countries across the world and purple sweet potatoes are cultivated in different countries with the more known varieties from Japan