Traditional Hainanese Dessert - Zhu Loot 海南传统农家小吃 - 甜薯奶

During the two weeks that I was back in my village on Hainan island, I was constantly amazed at the traditional Hainanese food that my sister-in-law prepared for us.

She inherits the family dishes from our grandmother, she has since imparted her knowledge of the family dishes to her second son and daughter-in-law. I want to learn how to cook these dishes too, so I asked her to teach me.

This afternoon she was going to teach me a traditional dessert that is popular in Qionghai. The main ingredient is Chinese yam (Dioscorea esculenta(Lour.) Burkill ) which is available on our farm.

It was the first time I see these Chinese yams, they are so hairy. LOL She steamed some yams for me to taste. It tasted like potatoes.

The rest of the Chinese yams, she washed them clean and peeled the skins.

Using a grater, she grated all the Chinese yams. It became a pile of gooey stuff because the yam was very starchy.

Sister-in-law added some rice flour to the starchy yam and mixed them well to form a dough.

Her second daughter-in-law boiled a pot of water with several slices of ginger, then added coconut milk. When the coconut milk started to boil, she shaped the dough into little balls and dropped them into the boiling soup.

When the yam balls are cooked, they will float to the surface. Add some sugar to the dessert and serve it hot or chilled.

How does the dessert taste? Watch the video.

It's delicious!

Zhu Loot (Creamy Chinese Yam Dessert), a traditional Hainanese dessert which is popular in Qionghai, is made from Chinese yams and cooked in a coconut milk sweet soup. It has a savoury version too.

The Chinese yams are a good source of vitamin C for fighting infections such as colds and flu and quick wound healing, anti-ageing, strong bones and healthy immune function.


回家乡那两个星期, 我向大嫂学了几样传统海南菜和小吃。这些都是我们奶奶传下来的传家菜, 我学会了回新加坡煮给家人吃。

这天大嫂教我煮甜薯奶。这是琼海小吃, 有两种做法 ：一种是甜的、一种是咸的。将甜薯磨成泥状和米粉浆混合在一起, 捏成球后下汤煮。

爱吃甜味的加糖, 姜片和椰奶; 爱吃咸味的洒上一些炒熟磨碎的芝麻，滴几滴上好的香油，加上海南特产的鲜虾酱，再倒入一些辣椒油。

甜薯也叫毛薯, 我们家农地有种。

甜薯类似山药，表面有毛，表皮有斑，剥开之后，有滑滑的粘液。煮熟之后，口感松软, 具有“清、补、凉” 滋养强身、补脾肺、涩精气、消肿、止痛的功效。