Taiwanese Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls (3 Ingredients!)

A Taiwanese Nightmarket STAPLE dish that everyone LOVES – Deep Fried Sweet Potato Donut holes (地瓜球) is a MUST try and super easy to make at home!

If you never tried Taiwanese Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls before, it is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.

All you need is THREE simple ingredients, Yam, Sweet Potato Flour, and sugar; THAT’S IT!

A Gluten-Free dessert that you need to try! 

There is no way you will visit a night market in Taiwan and not see Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls.

It is a popular dessert that is well-loved and the most famous Taiwanese dessert you can find at night markets. Deep-Fried Sweet Potato Balls have a super QQ texture, which is Chewy yet soft.

Unlike western donut holes, the sweet potato ball is hollow on the inside, which gives the dessert light, crispy, AND chewy texture. 

I grew up eating Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls at night markets, and I never realized how easy it is to make at home until my grandma showed me her recipe.

All you need is three ingredients, yam, sweet potato flour, and sugar.

All three ingredients cannot be replicated, and you must use yam (white on the inside) instead of sweet potato. Depending on how sweet you like it, you can adjust the amount of sugar.

You know your Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls are successful, golden brown and crispy on the outside, hollow on the inside, but when you take a bite, it is also chewy and soft.

Drizzling honey over Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls is not traditional.

However, I love the sweetness it gives, which is one reason I always make deep-fried sweet potato at home. If you don’t like a sweet dessert, you can enjoy it on its own, which is how it is served at night markets in Taiwan. 

Do you want more NIGHTMARKET recipes? Here are more Traditional Nightmarket recipes you need to try!

• Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken (Night market Style)
• Deep Fried Milk (3 Ingredients ONLY!)
• Crispy Fried Tofu with Garlic Sauce
• Popcorn Chicken (EXTRA CRISPY & JUCIY!)

Ingredients 

• 250g of Japanese Yam 
• 2-3 tbsp Sugar 
• 90g of Sweet Potato Flour/Tapioca Starch (use this brand!)

1. Cut Japanese Yam into thin slices and steam for 20 minutes or until soft. 
2. Once the Japanese yam is soft, add in sugar, and mash together. 
3. Next, add in sweet potato flour and mash. Once it is safe to touch, knead until it forms into a dough. 
4. Roll out the dough and cut it into small bite-sized pieces. Roll the pieces into a ball. 
5. In a pot, add in oil, turn the heat to medium. I prefer a non-stick pot. Add in the ball and let it fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking to the bottom. 
6. After 2-3 minutes, or until the sweet potato ball floats, keep press it down and fry for another 2-3 minutes or until it doubles in size and is golden brown. 

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Taiwanese Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls

A Taiwanese Nightmarket STAPLE dish that everyone LOVES – Deep Fried Sweet Potato Donut holes (地瓜球) is a MUST try and super easy to make at home! If you never tried Taiwanese Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls before, it is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. All you need is THREE simple ingredients, Yam, Sweet Potato Flour, and sugar; THAT’S IT! A Gluten-Free dessert that you need to try!

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Taiwanese

Keyword: Asian Food, Asian Recipes, Deep Fried, Dessert, easy dessert, gluten free, Night market, QUICK RECIPES, snack, Street Food

Yield: 4 People

Materials

• 250 g of Japanese Yam
• 2-3 tbsp Sugar
• 90 g of Sweet Potato Flour/Tapioca Starch

Instructions

• Cut Japanese Yam into thin slices and steam for 20 minutes or until soft.
• Once the Japanese yam is soft, add in sugar, and mash together.
• Next, add in sweet potato flour and mash. Once it is safe to touch, knead until it forms into a dough.
• Roll out the dough and cut it into small bite-sized pieces. Roll the pieces into a ball.
• In a pot, add in oil, turn the heat to medium. I prefer a non-stick pot. Add in the ball and let it fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking to the bottom.
• After 2-3 minutes, or until the sweet potato ball floats, keep press it down and fry for another 2-3 minutes or until it doubles in size and is golden brown.